Starry Nights
by Inherent
Summary: It all started on one starry night when Ginny Weasley couldn't fall asleep. GD
1. Intoxicating

**S t a r r y N i g h t s**

**Chapter one:** Intoxicating

**§**

It was way past midnight at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The moon shined straight into the sixth year Gryffindor girls' dormitory window. Most of the girls had pulled the drapes that hung on their bed closed to hide the shinning moonlight.

Ginny Weasley had not done this. She had lain down on her bed facing the window that looked over the Hogwarts grounds. All she could think about was how could people sleep on a night like this? There was just something about this night that was different, maybe even a little intoxicating. It was so natural, yet so supernatural feeling that she couldn't draw herself away from looking at the sky. The stars and the moon look so crystal clear, seeming so much closer than they actually are.

Whatever the reason it may have been Ginny had decided that she wasn't going to waste this perfect night. She got up and grabbed her diary and a quill; being that the moon was so bright it would be a perfect time to write. She then silently slipped out of the sixth year girls' dormitory and Gryffindor common room.

Ginny silently walked down the halls of Hogwarts castle making sure she didn't attract attention that might awake paintings or wandering ghosts, and of course Filch and Mrs. Norris. As she walked Ginny couldn't help but notice how different the castle felt at night. In the day it seemed so harmless and friendly. Nothing seemed very threatening there, everything that was a bit odd just added character to the old castle. In the night it was totally different. The darkness surrounded by pure silence and the coldness of the night felt spooky, which had to be the common feeling around the castle if a sixteen-year-old witch admitted to it.

After minutes upon minute Ginny was finally out of the castle and onto the grounds. Ginny looked up at the sky and felt so many emotions, but none of them amounted to fear, just freedom.

At the end of last year Ginny had really taken to writing. She had always loved to write, but after Tom Riddle's diary Ginny never felt quite safe to open up and write things down. She had tried many times before to start a new diary but every time she had gotten passed writing the first line all the memories of Tom, all the things she couldn't remember in her first year filled her mind. So instead of writing about her life, or personal things she just wrote about anything that came to mind that didn't have to do with her.

-

Now Ginny needed to look around for a place to sit. She went over to the trees close to the lake so she could look at the water. She wanted to sit someplace where people couldn't look out of the castle windows and spot her.

Walking closer and closer towards the lake Ginny found a nice spot to sit down right under a tall tree with branches that would cover but still let in the moonlight.

Ginny sat down quietly making sure not to crack any fallen branches, even though she was the only one out there. Ginny pulled her diary and stared at the pages before she took her quill out.

Ginny mumbled to herself. "Great, now that I'm out here I can't think of anything… I mean I know what to write, but I can't think of how to say it."

A lazy drawl answered Ginny's mutterings with, "You know, they say that talking to one's self is the first sign of insanity, Weasley."

Ginny looked around to see where the voice was coming from.

"Up here, Weasley."

Ginny looked up to find her least favourite person right above her sitting on a tree branch.

"Malfoy, what are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same… But I wont, because I don't care."

"Well I'm not moving because I like this tree." Ginny wasn't going to let her freedom and inspiration be ruined by Malfoy.

"I'm so thrilled to know you fancy the tree but if you're going to stay then don't talk out loud."

"I have just as much a right to talk as you do, Ferret," Ginny shot back.

Yes, Weaselette, but I was here first, and I don't feel like moving."

"Then don't complain about me talking."

Draco was obviously getting bored with this conversation so he sighed and said, "If you have the right to talk then I have the right to complain."

"Ugg, whatever, Malfoy, complain away. I don't really care!" Ginny shouted, growing angrier. "All I wanted to do was come out here, enjoy the moon and try to write."

"Write?" Malfoy scoffed. "Write what exactly? The latest lock of hair you've managed to sneak from pretty-boy Potter?"

"I don't like Harry, Malfoy. And even if I did, I would have better things to write about then Harry."

Malfoy snorted. "I'm sure you have a lot of interesting stories to write about the go on with your little friends."

"I don't write about what goes on in my life, I write stories, or at least I try to."

It started to become amusing to Malfoy with how Ginny always felt she had to defend herself. "I'm sure you try really hard, Weasley."

Ginny furrowed her eyebrows. "I resent that."

"I care," Malfoy drawled sarcastically and then went on to say: "All you seem to do is talk about writing, have you actually written something? As in where the quill goes on the paper and then you motion it to make letters. I hope I don't have to go farther, are you grasping what I'm saying?"

"Well I would be able to if you would just stop distracting me!"

"Good writers should be able to block out noises."

"You made that up."

Draco laughed. "See, I proved my point. I'm distracting you. Now if you were a good writer you would have left a long time ago."

Damn him. Why can't he just shut up and leave me alone? Why didn't I just leave before? Well hopefully I am annoying him, and then at least I got something out of this.

Ginny retorted to Malfoy with," Well, Malfoy, how do you know I'm not recording this in my diary to use in a story? A story about a good-for-nothing ferret that gets stepped on and eaten in the end?"

"I would say that was an utterly stupid story. And who would want to eat a ferret?"

"Are you always this hard to talk to? Or is this a special treat for me?" asked Ginny.

"Consider yourself special, Weasley."

Ginny sighed. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Whichever."

Ginny didn't have a response for that. She just sat there staring at her quill, which she was twirling between her hands. Ginny didn't feel like writing now. Just sitting there felt fine to her.

The air was warm and would have been uncomfortably humid had it not been for the gentle breeze that danced around the grounds of Hogwarts. Ginny suddenly felt really tired. She closed her eyes while wondering about a lot of things. Mostly why was Malfoy being almost… nice?

-

It was now the morning at Hogwarts and all the students, except two, had spent the night sleeping soundly in their beds. The sun was now up in the sky shinning down on Ginny Weasley through the spaces in the branches from the tree she was laying under.

"Malfoy! Wake up!" Ginny had just woken up a few seconds ago and hadn't a clue what time it was. She prayed that she still had time to get to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Draco Malfoy had also just had the luxury of being woken up be a loud voice below him. "I'm up, Weasley, what do you want?"

"Don't you care that you might miss Breakfast? Oh and do you have a watch?"

Draco smirked. "Don't get your knickers in a bunch, Weasley. It's only 8:17; breakfast starts at 8:30."

Ginny had gotten up off the ground, grabbed her Diary and quill, then started walking. "I have thirteen minutes to get my books and things then get to breakfast, just great. I really don't want to see Ron, Harry or Hermione because they'll ask where I was last night."

"You know, you could always skip breakfast. I'm sure no one will miss you."

"I'm just going to ignore that…"

"If you ignored it you wouldn't have said anything, now would you?" Malfoy ran to catch up with Ginny. "Whichever you do doesn't matter with me. I'm going to the Kitchens to get breakfast instead."

"Well, I'm going to the kitchens too, so Ron, Harry and Hermione won't see me until later."

"Because they care oh so much about you."

-

Ginny and Draco both snuck inside Hogwarts Castle taking hallways and corridors where they wouldn't be noticed by other students.

Ginny was tired of the silence that surrounded them while they were walking. "You never did tell me why you were outside last night…"

"Maybe I just felt like going outside. And what's it to you?" asked Draco.

"Nothing… I was just wondering." Ginny did want it to become silent again so she kept talking. "Do you go outside a lot at night?"

"What's with all the questions? I go out when I feel like it. And I felt like it last night."

"Okay, you know you're not a very friendly person."

Draco turned and looked at Ginny. "You really amaze me sometimes."

Finally Draco and Ginny reached the Kitchens and entered.

-

"Miss Wheezy! Dobby hasn't seen you in a while." Dobby the house elf who had been helping the other house elves fix breakfast went up to Ginny and bowed.

"Hello, Dobby, would you mind if we ate breakfast in here?"

"Dobby would much like Miss Wheezy's company, but sorry for Dobby asking, who is the other person?"

Ginny turned around to look for Malfoy who was standing behind her.

"Umm… Hello, Dobby."

"Young Master Malfoy?" Dobby's eyes grew large, amazed and a bit frightened to see Draco.

"Lucius told me you died in a tragic oven accident." Draco avoided eye contact with Dobby, and instead focused his eyes on a spot on the floor.

"Harry Potter freed me, sir," Dobby explained with wide eyes that clearly showed respect for Harry Potter.

"Well, isn't Potter just a little saint," mumbled Draco.

Ginny started to get very hungry and annoyed by this conversation. "Dobby, is there some food already made that we can eat?"

"Dobby will get food for Miss Wheezy and Young Master Malfoy." Dobby shuffled off back into the kitchens to get food for them.

"Dobby, I'm not your master, and I never was," Draco said quietly under his breath, not sure if anyone could hear him.

-

Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley ate their breakfast in complete silence. Ginny didn't, for once, mind it because she didn't know what to say. What do you say to someone you've hated for a very long time that you're eating breakfast with? Were you supposed to talk about the weather, or your favourite type of tea? Those weren't really conversations you could have with Draco Malfoy, especially when you know he'd turn it into a way to insult you.

Ginny stood up from her chair. "Umm… well bye, Malfoy, I need to get my things for classes," she said hurriedly, and then walked out of the kitchens leaving Draco sitting in silence.

Draco started to wonder about the littlest Weasley. She really wasn't like all the other Weasleys. She was more passionate, if that made any sense. It was the only way Draco could describe her, not that he went around describing the Weasleys in any other term but poor and idiotic. Ginny Weasley still had the fiery temper the Weasley family was known for but she was more civilized than her brothers that Draco had sadly been subjected to during the Hogwarts school years.

-

Ginny Weasley ran frantically through the Hogwarts Halls to get to the Gryffindor common room. She wanted to get there before Harry, Ron and Hermione finished breakfast in the Great Hall. Ginny went up to her dormitory, got her things for classes and then left.

Ginny wanted to find Luna Lovegood (who was now her best friend at Hogwarts) before the classes started. She knew Luna would be outside the Potions classroom sitting down reading a book, because Luna being Luna loved to get to class very early.

"You weren't at breakfast today." Luna, who had long blonde hair and very pale eyes, was sitting on the hard stone floor reading a book upside down.

"I know, I went to the kitchens instead."

"With Draco," Luna stated.

Ginny frowned. "How did you know that?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "It's not that hard to deduct. You both weren't at breakfast," she explained. "That and I saw you two in the hallway going to the kitchens."

Ginny hoped no one else saw them sneaking away to the kitchens after breakfast. She knew it was a stupid idea to go with Malfoy but she was just so hungry that she obviously wasn't thinking clearly.

"Well, um, last night I went outside to write. I guess I lost track of time or something... but I fell asleep. I didn't really want to go to breakfast looking like a bum and have the others wonder where I was last night."

"Did you have fun with Draco?" asked Luna.

"Luna!" Ginny shouted. "I had no clue that ferret was going to be out there. If I had known I wouldn't have gone."

Luna looked up at the ceiling. "You know, I've always wondered why calling him ferret is an insult. I mean ferrets are soft and furry, how is that a bad thing? It would be fun to be a ferret."

**§**

_The stars look down at us from overhead, twinkling and glistening with overpowering beauty and mystery. They tell us to stop wondering about the secrets. Just breathe in the intoxicating feeling and let go._

* * *

Disclaimer for the **entire **story: I do **not** own the Harry Potter series. I am **not** JK Rowling. I am **not** making any money off of this. I'm just a bored teenager. 


	2. Normality

**Chapter Two:** Normality

**§**

Classes were now over for the day at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Most students were either outside walking around, playing Quidditch or just sitting around in their common room, anything but doing homework.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were, like other Hogwarts students, just sitting in their common room talking. But unlike other students they weren't talking about rumors or things that happened that day. They were talking about things other people might find, well depressing. Although to find it depressing they would have to believe Harry first.

-

"Harry, there was nothing you could do to change what happened. This is what Voldemort wants; he wants you to think it's you fault and just give up. You can't let him win." Hermione was trying her hardest to coax Harry into accepting what has happened and move on.

"I know, Hermione, it's just going to take me a while to get past it. I don't think I'll ever get it out of my head that Sirius is gone."

Ron was just sitting in the oversized scarlet chair looking down at his knees; he didn't know what to say. Ron was never really good at speaking when someone was depressed or sad. When he did speak he always felt what he said was stupid or unhelpful. So now he was desperately trying to change the subject. "Do you know where Ginny was this morning? She wasn't at breakfast."

"Nope, sorry, mate. Maybe she's sick," Harry said.

"She looked fine yesterday," replied Ron.

"Well just ask her when she comes back."

-

Ginny Weasley was not sick. She was in the Hogwarts Library trying to work on a Potions report that was do the next day.

Ginny knocked her head down on the parchment she was writing on. "Luna, I can't finish this! It needs to be three feet and I only have three inches."

"You know Snape assigned it a week ago…"

"I know… I never got around to it," Ginny admitted.

"Just copy things out of the book and re-word them. It can't take that long." Luna was now twirling her hair with her wand while staring absentmindedly.

Ginny frowned. "You don't feel my pain."

"That's because I did it a few days ago. Not the day before it was due." Luna thought a moment then took off her butter beer necklace. "Here, take this, it might help you." Luna placed the necklace over Ginny's head.

Ginny fingered Luna's necklace that was now around her own neck. "Um, thanks, Luna."

Two seconds later Ginny knew exactly what to write. Now all she needed to do was figure out _how_ to write it.

-

Draco Malfoy was sitting in the Slytherin Common Room staring at the wall in front of him. That's all he was doing. If you weren't a Slytherin, or if you didn't know Draco you might have thought this was a little odd. Maybe he was bored and didn't know what to do? If you were a Slytherin, which you aren't, you would know this was normal for Draco, as normal as it got. You would also know he did this right after he received a letter from his father; or as he called him, Lucius.

"Draco, I know this is normal for you but it's really creeping me out." Pansy Parkinson was sitting next to Draco with a worried look on her face. Most people thought of Pansy as the girl that always chased after Draco, the one that would do anything to please him. This was partly true. She used to throw herself at him all the time. Now that she was older, she grew up and learned she didn't love Draco that way. There was no doubt she loved him, but she wasn't in love with him.

"Well Pansy, you didn't see what was in the letter." Draco didn't blink an eye; he just kept staring at the wall.

_Draco,_

_Don't plan on me staying in Azkaban for too long. The Dark Lord has a plan rising. I wont say what it is in the letter; it's not safe enough. Just be warned that the Winter Holidays aren't going to be too cheerful, for some that is. I will be requesting you to join the elite Death Eaters at dinner during the holidays where you will be told what your mission will be. Don't disappoint me, son._

_Lucius_

"If you showed me, maybe I could help you." Draco handed Pansy the letter. She read it about three times before she could grasp what it all meant.

"The Dark Lord has a plan rising? My parents didn't tell me anything about this in my letter. They just said that I would be coming home for the holidays where they would have a special Death Eater dinner."

"Is this support to make me feel happy and special knowing Lucius trust me enough to tell me this?"

"Sorry, I'm just surprised. How do you suppose he's going to get out of Azkaban?"

"No clue. I'm guessing he didn't tell me because it's too risky."

Pansy put her arm on Draco's back. "I am really sorry about this Draco. I just don't know what to say. Do you want to be part of all the other Death Eaters and the missions? What do you want to do?"

"It doesn't matter what I want. What Lucius says, I do. It's always been that way and it's not going to change any time soon. Lucius is the Dark Lords right had man. I can't do anything else and not be caught by the Dark Lord. I'm branded for life."

"Can't you talk to Narcissa? Maybe she can talk to your father about it."

"Mum is scared of Lucius, the last thing she would do is talk to him." Draco sighed. "I'm just going to take a walk. See you later."

-

Two hours later Ginny Weasley had finally finished her Potions report.

"Luna! Wake-up, I'm finished."

Luna slowly lifted her head. "That's why we all sing, Weasley is our king."

"Now I really don't want to know what you dreamt about." Ginny got up. "Let's go outside, and celebrate since I'm finally finished with that stupid report."

"When you say stupid report it makes it sound as if your report is stupid."

"No comment."

-

Harry, Ron and Hermione had left Gryffindor common room to go outside a get fresh air.

Hermione bit her lip and looked over at Harry as they were walking. "I know I probably shouldn't bring this up but, Harry, has your scar been hurting at all?"

"No, I would have mentioned it to you two."

"Well, that's what's been bothering me. Maybe Voldemort found something to stop the connection between you and him."

"Wouldn't that be a bad thing?" Ron paused for a second. "That's how he got Harry to think Sirius was in trouble."

"Not necessarily, if Voldemort stopped the connection so Harry couldn't see what he's up to then that would be a very good thing."

Harry sighed. "For now, let's just hope he's not up to anything."

Hermione looked a little worried. "I suppose."

Harry prayed that that was the end of the conversation. He had been wondering the same thing as Hermione. Why hadn't his scar been hurting? Harry knew Voldemort giving up was not an answer. But Harry also knew there was no way Voldemort could stop the connection between him and Harry for good. It was just that Harry right now didn't want to worry about it. For once in a very long time he just wanted to be normal.

Harry looked over to the other side of the hall. "Ron, if you wanted to ask Ginny where she was this morning, she's over there talking to Loon-a"

"Thanks mate." Ron turned over to look where Ginny and Luna were standing. "Ginny!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and walked over to Ron, "Yes? What do you want?"

"Why weren't you at breakfast today?"

"I slept in too late. And why does it matter to you?" asked Ginny.

"It matters to me because I'm your bother. Your roommates said that you weren't there when they woke-up."

"Well, they are crazy. Good bye." Ginny turned to walk away. But Hermione felt she had to have a say in this.

"Ginny, it's not save to walk around the Castle at night. I mean who knows what could be out there. If you had read Hogwarts, A History you would know all the dangers."

"I'm fully able to take care of myself, Hermione." This time Ginny and Luna actually walked away.

-

Draco Malfoy was now walking outside walking around in circles. Yes, circles, because that's all he felt he could do right now. Draco felt powerless for not understanding. Not understanding Lucius.

"_Draco, don't you want power? Don't you want to be looked up on? That's what I have, boy. If you want it you're going to have to work for it. Work for the Dark Lord."_

That is what his father said to him a year ago. Draco didn't understand it. His father wasn't powerful. He just did the dirty world for the Dark Lord. Draco wouldn't be powerful either. He would turn into a drone that would do whatever the Dark Lord wanted. Is that was Draco really wanted?

-

Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood were now outside the Castle and free from Ginny's brother.

"You know, it's not as if they even care. They feel that they have a right to have a say in what I do."

"Yeah… I agree."

"Are you even listening?"

Luna looked over at her. "Not really. But at least Harry didn't say anything. He probably likes you."

"I doubt it. He just sees me as Ron's little sister."

"He might see you as Ron's little sister but that doesn't mean he doesn't like you."

"Yeah, I guess. Who do you like, Luna?"

Luna's eyes got really dreamy. "Blaise Zabini."

"Luna! He's a Slytherin."

"So says the girl that slept outside with Draco Malfoy."

"I didn't sleep with him! And he was on a branch above me."

Luna tilted her head and thought for a minute. "So technically he slept on top of you?"

"This conversation is so over."

"Not fair! And with the Blaise thing, why does it matter if he's in Slytherin? I have the right to like anyone I want."

"I guess there's nothing wrong with it, it's just a little odd."

Ginny and Luna kept walking and talking till they found Draco having a little problem with the circle he was walking in.

"Damn it! Fucking little thing! Don't know what to do! Powerful my arse!" Draco was kicking the grass as he was walking causing there to be dirt all around him.

Ginny had to admit she was sort of scared, "Um… Malfoy, are you okay?"

"Okay? Okay? I'm bloody brilliant? Why would you think anything but that? And my name's not Malfoy it's Draco. D-r-a-c-o."

Luna whispered to Ginny, "I think he's a bit p-s-y-c-h-o."

"Yeah, and I think you're a bit loony." Draco had obviously heard her. "If I was as you say, psycho, would that be such a bad thing? Because personally I think normality is overrated. I mean really, what would this world be without its nut jobs? I think it would be pretty boring if you asked me." Draco now had sat down against a tee trunk.

"We didn't ask you." Luna smiled. "But I did find it very informative."

Ginny started to back away, "Umm… We're going now."

"But, Ginny, I want to here more of what Draco has to say."

Draco smirked. "Yeah, Ginny, Loony here wants to listen to me."

Ginny furrowed her brow. "You called me Ginny…"

"You call me Draco, I call you Ginny, I don't see anything wrong with that."

"I suppose there isn't, but what happened to all the poor Weasley jokes you used to always say? What happened with all the teasing?"

"They got boring. There are other things to tease about then money, Ginny." Draco smirked, "Unless that is, you miss them. Because if you do, I'd be more then happy to bring them back."

"No, I don't." Ginny turned and looked at Luna, "Umm… It's getting kind of cold and I have to go do some things so I'm going to go."

"Is one of those things stalking Potter?"

"No! And I thought you said you were finished with the teasing."

"I must have been going too fast for you, I said I wasn't going to tease you about your family." Draco put his hands behind his head, "Nowhere did I say I was going to stop with the Potter thing."

"Whatever, I'm going now." Ginny turned around and left.

"Umm… I'm going to follow her because, umm yeah." With that Luna ran to catch up with Ginny.

-

"You really should wait for me before you leave, Ginny."

"I'm sorry, Luna. It's just stupid Malfoy."

"Draco."

"I prefer Malfoy."

"I prefer Ferret, in the good way of course."

"I would prefer him dead."

"I'm not getting this, Ginny… What's so bad about Draco? I mean he was nice enough. You can't expect him to be a saint."

"What's with you and defending him?"

"Nothing, it's just I'm tired of people acting as if someone is worse then they really are."

Ginny smiled. "It's because of Blaise isn't it?"

"Maybe…"

"You should talk to him."

Luna smiled really big. "I did! He's taking me to Hogsmeade next weekend!"

"Wow, Luna! Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I don't know… I kept thinking it was too good to be true. But it's real!" Luna sighed. "I mean no one has ever liked me before. This is too strange. I guess it would be strange in a good way though."

"In a very good way."

"Now you have to find someone to go with! It could be like a double date. Maybe you could go with Draco."

Ginny laughed. "You're kidding, right?"

**§**

_At night I sit here and wonder. Was that normal? I guess I can fake normality; but am I normal? I'm okay; but am I normal? My life: is it normal? What is normal, anyway?_


	3. Honoured

**Chapter Three:** Honoured

**§**

It was the Saturday before the first Hogsmeade visit of the year. Luna Lovegood was hopelessly trying to get Draco Malfoy to ask Ginny Weasley to go to Hogsmeade with him.

"Draco, you know Ginny? She wants to go to Hogsmeade. Ask her. Don't be a fuck, because you know she likes you." Luna was twirling her butter beer cap necklace as she asked, well told Draco to take Ginny to Hogsmeade.

Draco snorted. "Now how exactly do you know this?"

Luna thought for a moment, as her eyes got all dreamy. "Umm… She told me?"

Draco rolled his eyes and smirked. "I'm sure she revealed her undyingly love to me also."

Luna smirked. "For all you know she might just have done that. Can't be too sure these days; now can you?"

"Come off it, Loony, I have places to be, now why the hell are you asking me to take Weasley to Hogsmeade?"

"Okay fine. You don't have to be so grumpy. Blaise and I are going to Hogsmeade together and I want Ginny to go with us and since you're Blaise's friend it would be perfect."

Draco's eyes widened. "You are going to Hogsmeade with Blaise? Why the fuck didn't he tell me?"

"Because it was none of your business. Not everything revolves around you."

"Well I'm happy to hear that. For a minute I thought I was king of the world. Thank you for telling me otherwise. I love to be enlightened by the loony."

"Well, I tried. But at least think about asking her, Draco."

-

Now it was Sunday and Luna was still bothering Draco about asking Ginny to Hogsmeade. She had caught him as he was walking down the hallway to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Malfoy, did you ask Ginny yet?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Why should I tell you, Loony?"

"Because I asked, and you're being rude."

"Paaaaaaardooooooooon meeeeeeeeee, exscccccccuuuuse my rudeness"

"Malfoy, stop being a fuck and answer the question!"

"No, I haven't asked her, yet"

Luna's eyes got really big and she put on a silly yet dreamy grin. "Yet. You said yet. So you plan to?"

"I never said that. And you know it's really odd when you first call me a fuck then do the weird smile thing."

Luna went on talking and ignored the last part. "Yes, you did! Denying what you say isn't being truthful with yourself, and if you're not truthful you aren't complete."

"You truly are loony."

Luna put on another silly grin. "And I love every minute of it." Then she curtsied and left.

-

"... So I said that we should be allowed to have…" Hermione was going on about some educational thing, while Ron was trying to get her to shut up.

"No one cares, Hermione."

Ginny who was across the table from Harry asked him, "Harry, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah, Ron and Hermione are too busy fighting to notice... want to go outside?"

"Here's fine, I'll just whisper." Right before she said that she went under the table and sat next to him.

Ginny leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear. "Can you cover for me tonight? I need to go out for a little while, and I don't want Hermione or Ron to see and ask me about it."

"Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter I'll be fine."

"I suppose so, but are you sure you don't want me to come too?"

"I need to go alone. But thanks, Harry."

"Wait. I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend."

Harry shifted a little in his seat. "Umm… Ginny, I didn't think you liked me like that any more. I mean I'm flattered but I see you as a little sister Ginny. Plus I'm going with Padma."

"Harry, I think you misunderstood me, I didn't mean that we'd go as a couple, just as friends. But since you're going with Padma that's okay"

Harry mumbled, "I'm sorry, Ginny."

Ginny felt a big lump in her throat, she swallowed and croaked out, "No, Harry, it's fine. I'll ask someone else. Anyways I need to go meet Luna."

Ginny ran down the hall, digging the finger nails of her right hand into her left wrist, willing the tears back down her throat. She always had a big problem with talking to Harry, and making a fool out of herself. Being the only Weasley girl she was always around her brother's friends. Unlike some would think, it would make her used to doing and saying stupid things and act weird in front of people. But it didn't. Ginny always took things seriously and criticized everything she said or did. And right now, all she could think of was how stupid she sounded to Harry.

-

Ginny Weasley had now reached Luna who was sitting outside the History of Magic classroom. As it was said earlier Luna loved getting to classes early and just sit outside.

From the time it took Ginny to get there she had finally stopped the tears that were desperately trying to come out. "I just made a fool out of myself in front of Harry… again." She sat down next to Luna.

Luna's head was tilted sideways as was her smile. "I wonder if we will hold hands… Blaise is so romantic. I can't believe we are going together."

Ginny waved her arms in front of Luna's face, "Luna! Don't you get that I'm TALKING TO YOU?"

"What do you want?"

"Harry is mad at me, and you don't care"

"I do care."

Ginny crossed her arms. "Prove it."

"What happened with Harry? Why do you think that you made a fool of yourself?"

"He thought we would go together to Hogsmeade, as more than friends. I didn't make myself clear. I feel so stupid. He's going with Padma, any way, so it doesn't matter. I think he will be angry when he sees me with Draco... and I don't know what to do..."Ginny sighed, "Except the problem is I did mean more then friends. It's really stupid. He'll never like me and I desperately need to get over it."

"Ginny, you really need to stop worrying about what everyone thinks of you. Especially Harry. You're waste so much time in your life with every time you think about how you acted in front of him and how he thinks of you," Luna sighed then continued, "I know it's not easy to get over someone but just try to stop thinking about him. You know he's not your soul mate."

"I know you're right. It's just hard. Anyways I'm going to go back outside tonight to try to write, hopefully I won't fall asleep."

Luna laughed, "You know you liked sleeping out there with Draco."

"Heh, the odd thing is I asked Harry to cover for me when I go outside. Like distracting Ron or Hermione because I want to go out early."

Luna sat up straight. "See! If he agreed to cover for you then he obviously doesn't think you are a strange little girl that rambles on about stuff."

"I suppose…"

-

It was now eight o'clock and Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting down in the Gryffindor common room doing homework. Well Harry and Ron weren't exactly doing homework; it was more like they were asking to copy off of Hermione. Hermione refused, and burst into a lecture on how Harry and Ron should pay attention in class instead of catching up on sleep.

"You're not my mum, Hermione. And you don't have to get all ticked off when we ask you. Can't you just be honoured that you're smarter then us and then give us the answers?"

"It doesn't work that was, Ronald. You're going to have to learn to do the work yourself instead of asking for every little answer."

"Well we wouldn't ask for every little answer if you gave us the whole paper."

Hermione got up and turned to Ron. "I can't believe you're making _me _the bad guy! You're never going to go anywhere in life if you don't do the work yourself."

"Now you're just being dramatic. I never made you the bad guy all I said was that if you just gave us the paper we wouldn't bother you as much. I'm looking in your best interest."

Hermione and Ron kept on fighting as Harry decided to ignore them and continue working.

-

Ginny came down the Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory staircase and entered the Gryffindor common room. She walked towards Harry and sat down where Hermione, who was still fighting with Ron, was sitting.

Ginny took a deep breath and tried to think about how she didn't really like Harry and how it was just a little school girl crush, "Harry, remember earlier about the covering for me thing?" Harry nodded, "Well since Ron and Hermione are in one of their love fights I don't think I'm going to need someone to cover for me. But thanks for agreeing to." With that Ginny got up and exited the common room with her quill and Diary that she was holding.

-

Luna Lovegood and Blaise Zabini were sitting outside on a balcony in Hogwarts Castle. Luna was curled up next to Blaise trying to keep warn because of the coldness, or just because she wanted to be next to him. She was rambling on about how Draco should really ask Ginny to Hogsmeade.

"Luna, I really don't get you. Draco and Ginny are nothing like each other."

"Neither are we. Unless you are saying we shouldn't be together."

"Don't jump to conclusions, we unlike Draco and Ginny can stand each other. Plus if Draco was going to date anyone in Hogwarts it would most likely be Pansy."

"Blaise, do you ever pay attention to people?"

"What do you think I'm doing right now? And what does that have to do with anything?"

Luna sighed and snuggled closer to Blaise, "I mean body language, Pansy and Draco would never date each other, again, I guess. They went out in fourth year. Pansy loves Draco like a brother. Ginny should really learn from Pansy and start to just love Harry like a brother."

"Ginny still likes Potter?"

"It's more like she's embarrassed around him, then actually liking him. But Draco would be much better for her."

"Luna, I really need to know where you came off with this idea that Draco and Ginny are soul mates."

"Well it's the way they act when they are together. Anyone can see it! Just look at their eyes when they are talking. It's true love."

"Luna, you really are loony, and I mean that in a very, very good way. Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy, true love?"

Luna crossed her arms, "I may be loony but I know true love when I see it."

Blaise smirked, "Do you see it now?"

A small smile played upon Luna's lips. She turned over and put each arm on either side of Blaise and bent down and kissed him on the lips. "What do you think?"

-

Ginny Weasley was now outside the Hogwarts Castle. She only had to walk a few steps towards the tree that she was sitting under nights before, when Draco Malfoy jumped down from the tree.

Ginny turned to him and sighed. "You have to be kidding. And what do you think you are? A monkey?"

"I thought I was a ferret? Now I'm the almighty Bouncing ferret-monkey type thing. I feel so pureblooded."

Ginny snorted. "Aren't you funny…"

"If you want to talk about something funny, your friend Loony wants me to ask you to Hogsmeade."

"Is that so…"

"But I'm sorry to say Weasel that you wont be graced with my presence at Hogsmeade because I'm definitely not going to ask you."

It would be a lie to say that Ginny didn't feel at least a little bit hurt. It's not though as if she wanted Draco to ask her. It was more the way he said how he wouldn't ask her then if he had not said anything at all. Of course Ginny would never admit he hurt her a little so she just went on with the conversation and ignored the remark.

"Good, because I would have just said no. And I thought we were calling each other by first names now, _Malfoy._"

"Must have slipped my mind Weasley, because I do have more important things to think about, unlike you. I can imagine it now…" Draco put on a high-pitched girly voice, "Like I wonder what Harry's thinking about now? I wonder if he noticed me today? I wonder if he's missing me? I really should go back up to the Gryffindork common room and stalk him."

Ginny stuck out her tongue.

"Mature, Ginny, really mature."

"Oh so it's really mature to mock someone? So, we're back to first names again, Draco?"

"I really don't get why you make such a big deal about first names. But then again you really don't have anything else to worry about, and didn't you come out here to write?"

"But, Draco! This is so much more interesting then writing. I just love talking to you." Ginny stopped for a second and thought. "And since when do you care about if I write or not?"

"I don't…"

"That's good to know."

-

Draco and Ginny stopped talking for a while, Ginny say down and started writing, and Draco lay down near the lake and just looked up at the stars. After a while Ginny stopped writing and looked over at Draco.

_I wonder what he's thinking. I mean, what do people like Draco think about? Probably something evil, like a plan to take over the world. I really should write about someone like that. Yeah, an evil seventeen year old that wants to take over the world… Wait, that sounds like Tom. No, he'll just be evil. No taking over the world. _

Ginny wrote down some notes on what to write, then she went down where Draco was and laid down next to him.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? First you come out here and invade my tree, now you lay down next to me like you think you own the place?"

"Draco, for once, can you just shut up and relax?"

§

_People said it was an honour… I begged to differ. _


	4. Fictional

**Chapter Four: **Fictional

**§**

The youngest of the Weasley children, Ginny Weasley, did indeed make it back to her dormitory before the sun came up. She snuck in Hogwarts Castle, up all the stairs and corridors, into the Gryffindor common room and then up the girls' staircase and into the sixth year dormitory without making a sound. That is though, excluding waking up the Fat Lady while saying the password.

When Ginny lied down on her bed she still couldn't fall asleep. I guess it might have been all the excitement of talking to Draco, most likely it wasn't. Ginny didn't really care about the reason, all she cared about was it gave her more time to write.

_He was trapped in a world he couldn't control. Everything and everyone was pushing their own dream onto him. Something he didn't want and didn't need. But he had no choice; everything was planed out for him. His life was sketched out for him in green and silver. It couldn't be altered; it was how it was and how it had always been._

Ginny sighed and looked at what she had written, it wasn't the best but it wasn't too bad. The only problem was she had no clue where it came from. Maybe it was how she secretly felt and putting it in male form made it easier to write, or maybe it was just a purely fictional idea she had.

-

Harry Potter had many problems; one of the main ones was being able to keep his anger controlled with Professor Snape. Today Harry unfortunately, could not resist shouting at Professor Snape on how unfair he was with grading.

Now, if you at all knew Severus Snape you would know that if a student shouted out on how unfair he was at grading you would know two main things. One thing you would know would be that Snape wouldn't care if you thought he was the best grader or the worst. The other thing you would know is Snape would be more then happy to minus house points and give you a detention.

Harry Potter had known Professor Snape for a very long time, so surely he knew the aftermath he would get from yelling at Snape. But of course when you are in a mad fit of rage from unfair grading you wouldn't really care what your punishment was, well that is true until an hour later when you start screaming about how unfair and injustice the whole ordeal was.

"The whole bloody thing is totally unfair! All I did was point out that his grading isn't fair and I didn't deserve an A (Which stood for awful.). I did a hell of a lot better then either Crabbe or Goyle and then both got higher grades then I did." Harry saw that Hermione was about to comment so he took a quick breath and continued talking. "So now I have detention! No, not just one detention, I have two! And when you think about it I only shouted out once so technically it should only be one." Harry was saying all of this as they were walking down the hall to their next class.

Hermione waited to make sure Harry was done with his rambling, so she could get a word in, "Harry, I'm really sorry you got a detention- well two- but you really need to learn how to control your temper, it only leads to bad things."

"Well sorry, Hermione, next time I'll remember to keep my mouth shut when people start doing things unfairly. Oh, yeah and I'll just let Voldemort go on with his little killing Muggles thing."

Hermione just huffed. "You know what? Just forget I ever said anything. Keep getting detentions, it doesn't bother me."

Ron Weasley was just standing on the side listening to Harry and Hermione's argument. It was sort of odd though because usually it was Hermione and him getting into fights. What really struck him odd about this argument was that he agreed with Hermione, and not Harry.

-

Luna Lovegood and Blaise Zabini were walking to the Great Hall for lunch. They both decided to get the odd looks and stares over with. No one would ever suspect one of the most popular and acclaimed evil Slytherin to be dating Luna "Loony" Lovegood, that would almost be as odd as A Malfoy dating a Weasley. Slytherin always stuck to dating their kind, it was to keep the rest pure almost like a factory. Two Slytherin would date, get married and have pureblooded children that would no doubt be in Slytherin. It would be the never-ending cycle.

Blaise couldn't deny that he was scared about people- Slytherins- finding out that he was dating Luna. It wasn't because he was at all ashamed of her, it was more that he wanted to protect her, because he loved and cared about her. If a Slytherin told Blaise's father about Luna there was no telling what he would do. Blaise, like Draco had his whole life set up for him. Both Draco and Blaise didn't even think about uttering a word to their fathers nor anyone that had a say in their life. It had always been this way, from the day they were born. They never choose anything in their life, not even the green and silver colours that they proudly wear.

It wasn't as bad as Blaise thought, it was worse, oh so much worse. All through breakfast Luna and Blaise heard such things as;

"_She has to be paying him. There is no other answer. Does she even have any money?"_

"_No, no, no The Loony one has him under a spell."_

"_He could do so much better. I mean she's not even pretty. Her hair! Look at it! It's the colour of a banana. I mean I'm prettier then her!"_

Those comments unfortunately were the least of Luna and Blaise's problems. The comments that really mattered were the Slytherin's.

"_You know your father isn't going to be happy, nor is the Dark Lord. He doesn't like people associating with Mudblood and Muggle lovers. Don't you want to make him happy? Unless of course you're planning to kill her. That's it isn't it? This is a mission for the Dark Lord, isn't it?"_

Comments like that one were coming from all around the Slytherin table. Every time someone uttered a comment to Blaise he was filled with more and more worries. Was he doing the right thing being with Luna? Was he only hurting her? Would she end up getting hurt?

Blaise looked over to the Ravenclaw table, she was sitting there with her hair flowing town her back, she had on her butter beer cap necklace and had earrings hanging down that looked like moons, she was reading a magazine that Blaise couldn't quit make out. She didn't at all look worried or annoyed. _'How can she ignore all of the things everyone's saying? Doesn't it at all make her angry? I just want to get out of here.'_

That is just what Blaise did. He got up from the Slytherin table and hissed at them. "Can't any of you think of something else to talk about? Get a fucking life and leave mine alone!"

Draco who was totally ignoring everyone and everything looked up when Blaise said that. He smirked at everyone and went back to reading his Astrology book and thinking of whether or not to ask a certain Ginny Weasley to Hogsmeade. But the farther he went into thinking about it the more he thought of how much it could hurt Ginny. He unlike Blaise would never seriously date anyone that wasn't a Slytherin because upsetting Lucius or the Dark Lord was not anywhere near the top of the list on things to do. Draco may not care that much for the youngest Weasley but he didn't want to hurt her.

This was something Blaise pondered over after he received a dark green envelope containing a letter quite similar to the one Draco had gotten not long before.

-

Harry Potter may not have had the troubles that Draco and Blaise had but he certainly had a few. Being the only one that was able to kill Lord Voldemort was a pretty hard task that you had to live with. Having someone give you a detention was only making Harry's life worse, and then adding one of your least favourite people to it was just asking Harry to jump off of a very high building. Of course Harry wouldn't do that. He would just mumble some words under his breath and go on with his not so perfect life.

Harry was now standing in the potions classroom armed with a mop and bucket. Pansy Parkinson was standing next to him armed with the same things. They both were giving each other death glares that clearly said I would rather jump off a building and kiss a toad then be here. But alas there weren't any toads insight so Harry and Pansy were going to be stuck in there wandless for many dreadful hours.

Harry looked away from Pansy and to the floor for a second debating how long this was going to take, when Pansy finally spoke.

"Oh, Harry Potter, what a pleasure to have detention with you."

"Shut up."

"Well aren't you grumpy? What's wrong Harry, your scar been hurting you again." Harry winced at that. The problem was his damn scar hadn't been hurting.

"No, now leave me alone."

"It's the Weasley girl, isn't it?"

"It's not that either! Nothing is wrong with me, now would you be oh so kind and leave me alone?"

"It probably is The Weasley. Maybe she goes for Slytherins. But that would be too ironic, a Weasley liking the enemy. That would be like Blaise liking that loony girl- oh wait that did happen."

"Would you shut up? I don't like Ginny; we are like brother and sister. Could you just clean and as I said before, leave me alone?"

Pansy who was mopping over in a corner, looked over at Harry. "But, Potter, it's so much fun to know what's going on in your life."

Harry just stopped mopping at just looked at her.

A small smile played upon Pansy's lips. "Oh, don't worry, Potter, I don't fancy you, I stick to Slytherins. But I am getting bored with this house elf work so let's play a game, shall we?"

Harry was still looking at her in disbelief.

"You are going to talk… Aren't you?" asked Pansy.

"It's just, you're acting really odd."

"How can I be acting odd? You don't even know me that well. I don't remember us talking to each other since fifth year" said Pansy. "Oh but don't worry I haven't turned into some muggle loving freak and I still conceder you my enemy. I'm just bored and you unfortunately are the only one here."

Harry rolled his eyes and looked over to her, "Don't I just feel so special."

"You should. So, I was thinking to pass the time we should just ask each other questions."

"Questions? Umm… Alright, I guess," replied Harry.

Pansy kept on mopping and without looking up she said, "Alright then, I'll start since I came up with the idea. So, Potter, who do you really fancy?"

"No one."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Potter, don't lie. It's not like I would tell anyone you're little secrets. And aren't you going to Hogsmeade with Padma?"

Harry stopped mopping and looked up at her. "Why do you care? And I'm only going to Hogsmeade with her because she asked me."

"I don't care. I'm just bored, as I said before. So you really don't like the Weasley girl?"

Harry mimicked Pansy. "As I said before I don't like Ginny, she's like a sister to me. So how about you, do you like the almighty bouncing ferret?"

"Please tell me you're joking. I'll admit I liked him years ago but now we just know way too much about each other. He's the only person I really trust because we both go through the same types of things, you know, being Slytherins and all."

Harry was only half listening until he heard her say something about Draco telling her everything. "Exactly what types of things does he tell you? Things from his father? He's probably planning an attack. Typical Slytherin."

Pansy dropped her mop and looked over at Harry. Right then and there Harry wished he had said anything but that. Pansy walked towards him hissing words as she stepped. "You have no right to say that. Do you know anything about Draco? And don't even think about adding in a snide remark. You know nothing about being a Slytherin or anything that doesn't have to do with your life."

Pansy was just a few inches away from Harry's face when she stopped talking. Harry took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said, "You know nothing about my life either."

"I never said I did. Did I, Potter? Just don't think about saying anything else about Death Easters or Slytherins."

Harry smirked. "You're really close to Malfoy aren't you?"

"Like I said before, I can trust him and we go through the same things."

Both Harry and Pansy were still only a few inches away from each other. Harry decided to take a risk and push his questions further. "Like what kind of things? I'm not going to say anything. I just want to know since I obviously know nothing about Slytherins. Do your parents force you to become Death Eaters?"

"Let's just say becoming a Death Eater would be the least of my problems."

Harry stepped back a bit. "So, you're not a Death Eater?"

Pansy pushed her sleeve that went all the way to her wrist up to her elbow. She showed Harry her unmarked skin then went back to work with cleaning the floor.

-

Luna Lovegood was sitting in a pool of tears somewhere in the Hogwarts castle. She had never felt this way before. Luna had mastered the art of shrugging off less then nice comments, she never let things get to her. But someone she truly loved had never ever hurt her.

Ginny Weasley was sitting next to Luna. She had never seen Luna this way before. As long as Ginny had known Luna she had always seen her in a dreamy state, never caring about the hurtful comments people had said to her. Ginny could only guess what Blaise had said to her.

-

To Harry Potter it felt like hours had passed since Pansy Parkinson had shown him her un-marked arm. In reality only fifteen minutes had come and gone. Harry couldn't stand the silence anymore, he knew he had to say something sooner or later, and why not make it sooner then later?

Harry took a deep breath and turned to where Pansy was mopping the floor. "Listen, Pansy, I'm really sorry for asking all those questions. It was really stupid."

"Harry Potter apologizing! Amazing! But I don't accept it; you only apologized to make yourself feel better. And if you knew anything about me, which you don't, you would know I don't give a shit about people's feelings."

"You know, you would have a lot more friends if you were a tad bit nicer."

"Maybe I don't want to be nicer, not everyone wants to be Saint Potter."

"See, you don't know anything about me either. Do you think I like being known as someone that survived Voldemort as a baby? I'm known for something I don't even remember. And do you think I like having Voldemort after me? Last year I was paranoid over if something was going to happen. I got visions from him being happy, sad, angered and annoyed. I couldn't do anything about it. I just sat there knowing all of these things and I couldn't do shit. Now this year I'm not getting any visions at all, and now I'm paranoid about that. I have no clue on what he's doing; maybe he's planning an attack, I don't know. And I'm not sure if I even want to know. It's like Voldemort controls me, I just wait for him to do something. In fifth year believing what I saw cost me Sirius's life." After saying all of that Harry turned his back to Pansy and started mopping the only corner that was left dirty in the Potions classroom.

Pansy Parkinson, for the first time in her life, truly didn't know what to say. What could she say?

-

Two months had passed. It was now the first night back after the winter holidays. For most people this was one of the worst days of the school year. Having to adjust back to the Hogwarts schooling routine wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing to do. For others, they could care less about having to adjust; all they cared about was being back at their sanctuary.

Somewhere out in the middle of Hogwarts grounds two seventeen year old boys were drinking some very illegal fire whisky.

Blaise Zabini was lying down on the grass looking strait up at the moon, "Why couldn't we be Hufflepuffs? I mean really! They are always so happy. I wish I could be happy. Why am I not happy? I've wanted dis all me life, and now I got it, why am I not happy?"

Draco Malfoy who had drank a lot more Fire Whisky then Blaise was sitting up playing with the dagger that Lucius had gotten him for his fourteenth birthday. He was tracing the blade across his palm and all the way up to his forearm where he traced his unwanted tattoo. "Would ya rrrrreally wanna be uh Pufflehuff? I mean they'resh so freakenishly giddy an' shit. Theys scare me. Maybe Ravensclaw, they sheem normal, whatever the fuck that is."

Blaise took another swig out of the half empty bottle. "Ya know, you should really put that knife away, ya wouldn't wanna poke your eye out or somethin. That would be bad. Goin' around eyeless. Ya wanna know whats I wus thinken about? I was thinken to myself that we shoulds goin the circus! You an me! We don need no one. Not that you had anyone. You were alls alone. I change my mind, no circus, clowns scares me anyways you need a girlfrind. What about Weasley girl? She's hot."

"Yer crazy. Can't date the Weasley girl. Same reason wit you and Moon girl person… Wats 'er name?"

"Luuuuuuuuuuuuuna. Like the moon. Isn't the moon perdy?" Draco turned his head sideways to get a better look at the moon.

Blaise turned over on his stomach and punched the green ground beneath him, "She 'ates me. Not that I 'an blame 'er. I'm horrible person. Plus, it's been monthsh shince I broke'd up wit her. She gotten over me by now. Who would wanna date me anyways? I know what I'm goning ta do. Draco, give me your knife."

**§**

_It was purely fictional and nothing else. It had no hidden meaning, no secret hidden within, just random words and meaningless rambling._


	5. Dramatic

**Chapter five:** Dramatic

**§**

Two months.

It had been two months Blaise Zabini had broke up with Luna Lovegood and she still couldn't get over it. This wasn't for the reasons you may think. Luna was scared for Blaise. She wasn't a stupid person. She knew just why he had broken up with her. Why he had ignored her this entire time. The Death Eaters had gotten to him; she knew this for a fact. Why else had he avoided her right after he had gotten the green envelope?

Ginny Weasley were still sitting in a forgotten corridor sitting next to Luna. They didn't do this often, but regularly enough where going too long without a night just sitting and thinking in the spooky castle would make them go through withdrawals.

Luna looked up at Ginny, after some comfortable silence after they debated whether Snape would ever get married. "He said he did it to protect me. He said we shouldn't be together because I could get hurt. He told me that he loves me and always will." Luna paused. "I understand that. It makes sense. But I always wonder, isn't love about staying together through the good and the bad?"

Ginny just stared at Luna, the problem was she didn't know what to say because the honest truth was, Ginny hadn't a clue of what Blaise was like. Ginny had never really spoken to Blaise before. For all she really knew, he could be outside somewhere snogging another girl at this very moment and everything he said before was a total lie. Ginny didn't really believe this, and she knew she shouldn't have even thought that but it was possible.

Ginny shook that thought out of her mind and thought about what Luna had said, _isn't love about staying together through the good and the bad?_ Is love also about taking risks and possibly risking your love's life? Though, at least you're able to be together.

"Luna, I know it's hard but you can't dwell over it. If you really want to know you should go up and ask him. Show him that you're strong."

Luna sighed. "I suppose you're right. Gods, it's been two months and I sound like one of those annoying girls who can't accept the guy doesn't want her anymore."

"If you believe Blaise, which you should, you know that's not the case." Ginny got up from her spot next to Luna. "Come on, let's go outside and think about something…happy.

Luna sniffed a little and chocked out. "Okay, but if I see Blaise out there snogging some girl then I can't promise happiness."

Ginny just sighed and pulled Luna along then headed outside.

-

Blaise Zabini was usually not a dramatic person. He wasn't somebody to over exaggerate things; he took them for what they were and nothing else. When Blaise asked Draco for his knife he was not at all joking.

"You've got ta be jokin' mate, yer drunk, ya can't be cuttin' off body parts now."

"Just give me the knife!" Blaise shouted.

"The mark can't leave, it'll jus' come back."

"I don't care, I'll keep cutting it out again and again. Whatever it takes." Blaise got up and stumbled a bit, then he started walking towards Draco.

Draco also got up and tried to reason with Blaise. "This was a bad idea, let's jus' go to the common room and think things over. Ya don't wanna go do anything drastic now. An' gettin rid of the mark won't change anything- that is if it did work."

Blaise reached out and tried to grab the dagger out of Draco's grasp. "Would you just shut up and give me the damn knife! I don't want to have to hurt you."

"What the fuck, Blaise, you're insane!"

Blaise pushed Draco hard enough while he was trying to get the dagger that Draco and Blaise both ended up falling backwards. They both started to roll across the grass until a tree blocked their path. Unfortunately for Draco, Blaise had gotten a hold of the dagger before they had fallen. Now the dagger was pushed fully into Draco's chest.

-

Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood saw the entire incident. They had just walked out not sat down two minutes under Ginny's favourite tree when they saw two figures rolling right into a tree about twenty feet from where Ginny and Luna were sitting.

Luna blinked a little then turned to Ginny. "Did you just see the same thing I saw?"

"Two bodies just rolled over to that tree…" With that Ginny got up and ran over to the two motionless bodies. Luna was only two feet behind her.

Ginny gasped as she saw whom the two bodies belonged to. "Draco, Blaise… Oh my god, Draco." Blaise had just rolled off Draco showing Ginny the dagger in Draco's chest.

Blaise couldn't seem to get any words to come out. He just lay there staring over at Draco. He couldn't seem to comprehend what just happened. It was as if it was all a nightmare.

Luna also was just standing there; she first looked to Blaise and then to Draco. Now she knew that Blaise snogging anyone was the least of her worries, "What happened, Blaise?"

Blaise looked over to where Draco was lying. "It's all my fault… It's all my fault."

Ginny was kneeled down and put Draco's head in her lap. "You two need to get Madam Pomfrey. We can't carry him, something could happen."

Luna went off running towards the castle as soon as Ginny had stop speaking. Blaise on the other hand just sat there looking over at Draco.

Blaise couldn't seem to comprehend anything Ginny said. All he could do was sit there and stare over at Draco. The deadly seen that only happened minutes ago kept playing over in his mind. Blaise didn't know why he went off like that. It wasn't because he was drunk; he knew exactly what he was doing. The stinging on his forearm kept reminding him of Luna and why he couldn't be with her. Blaise couldn't seem to stand it anymore; he had to get rid of it.

-

Ginny Weasley prayed to herself that Luna and Blaise would hurry back as soon as possible. She didn't know how long Draco would last. She didn't even know how he was right now. All Ginny could do was close her eyes and pretend this was all a dream, but the fact that it wasn't ached through to her thoughts and brought her back to reality.

Ginny opened her eyes and looked down to Draco, his eyes were closed and his breathing was very light. He was very lucky to be breathing at all.

Ginny leaned into Draco to check on him, her red hair falling in to her eyes. His lips looked so soft in the moonlight, so kissable. His eyelashes fluttered a little, and his forehead wrinkled in pain. Ginny brushed her lips against his cheek and grasped his hand in hers. She started to silently cry.

Blaise wanted to run. He wanted to escape into the forest and never come back. Dumbledore would be talking to him. His parents would know. Everyone would know in the morning. He couldn't even begin to figure out what he would do. He didn't realize it, but he started crying. It would be a lie to say he had never felt this way before because he had felt the exact same way many times. He had felt like a monster many times. Blaise had a very hard time controlling himself, even when he was scared and wanted to curl up and die.

Ginny heard Blaise crying and moved to his side. She took his hand in hers and put her head on his shoulder. She didn't know what to say, but she just started talking to comfort him. "If you want me to leave I can, or I can stay here."

The thought of being alone scared him, so he mumbled something and held her hand a little tighter. He was scared and worried. He didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to even be alive.

-

Neither Blaise nor Ginny knew how long it was before Madam Pomfrey, Luna Lovegood and Dumbledore came outside running towards Draco. Madam Pomfrey mumbled something and pointed her wand at Draco. All of a sudden Draco was lying on a stretcher. The Stretcher started levitating in the air.

Dumbledore looked over to Ginny and Blaise, he moved his hands in a motion indicated them to follow him.

It would have looked very odd to anyone who might have seen the strange group walking down the halls to see Draco Malfoy lying on a stretcher, Madam Pomfrey right behind him guiding it down the halls and Headmaster Dumbledore telling Ginny, Luna and Blaise, who didn't look up the whole time they were walking, that it would be alright and Draco would be 'good as new' in no time. Ginny, Luna and Blaise did not believe a word of it.

-

It seems that the first day back from holiday was the day for Gryffindors and Slytherins to sneak away from their dormitories and venture off around the castle.

Pansy Parkinson had awoke in the middle of the night craving apple pie. She didn't exactly know _why_ the craved it, since people usually don't know, unless you're pregnant, which was something Pansy was not.

Pansy quickly decided that there was no possible way she could go back to sleep if she wasn't able to first eat the pie, so she left her dormitory and made her way down as silently as possible to the school kitchens.

Harry Potter also awoke that same night and made his way down to the kitchens, only he didn't want apple pie. To him apple pie was almost the same as Voldemort; only apple pie wasn't a deadly threat to him so he wasn't very expressive of his hate.

Harry had just woken up from a nightmare replaying the incident in the Department of Mysteries. He could still see Bellatrix pushing Sirius back, over and over again. Harry just sat straight up in his bed for minutes upon minutes trying to erase the memory from his mind. In the end he just felt empty and hungry. Harry got out of bed, grabbed his cloak and made his way out of Gryffindor tower and down to the kitchens while still trying to think of anything but that one night.

"It's you," Pansy said as Harry walked into the kitchens while taking off his invisibility cloak. He cursed to himself, not noticing she was in here. "Nice cloak."

"Um. Yeah. Don't tell anyone about it," Harry remarked not knowing if that would stop her.

"You don't seem very sure of yourself that I won't say anything." Pansy commented as she ate some of her apple pie.

"Is that apple pie?"

"Aren't you observant. Yes, it is, Potter."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "Disgusting,"

"Whatever you say," Pansy said, still eating her apple pie. "Why are you down here anyways?"

"Probably the same reason as you," Harry said.

"I thought you didn't like apple pie."

"I couldn't sleep." Harry sat down next to Pansy at one of tables.

"Oh, I see." Pansy put down her fork. "Does it have to do with You-Know-Who?"

Harry sighed. "I guess you could say that. Without him it wouldn't have happened."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm really sorry. I know I can't really do anything to make it better but I'm sorry for all the shitty things I've done in the past."

Harry actually smiled. "Thank you."

-

Draco Malfoy was lying in the Hospital wing bed staring at the ceiling wishing he were anywhere but here. Dumbledore knew, Madam Pomfrey knew. What were they going to do about it? Would they send him to Azkaban? All Draco could do was wait and find out.

Blaise Zabini was sitting on the next bed also waiting to here what was going to happen to him. Why couldn't Dumbledore just get it over with and send him to Azkaban?

It seemed as if both Draco and Blaise had the same thoughts running through their minds.

-

Shit. That is the only word that could come out of Draco and Blaise's mouth. It came out as more of a whisper then anything. Dumbledore had just walked into the Hospital Wing and was standing between Draco and Blaise's beds.

"I see you two boys have had a rough night. Would one of you two care to enlighten me on what exactly happened?" When Dumbledore said this there was no hint of anger or annoyance.

Blaise knew he should be the one to tell what happened, it was his fault anyway. He took a deep breath and swallowed, "Draco and I were sitting outside talking about things and then I started to go off about the Dark Mark and wantin' to get rid of it. So I took a knife out of my pocket and Draco tried to take it away from me and we rolled backwards and the knife ended up stabbing 'em."

"Blaise! There's no point in lyin'. Won't make a difference. I took my knife out of me pocket and started to trace it around my arm and stuff. Then Blaise talked about cutting the Mark out and I told 'em he was nuts but he wanted to anyways… So he tried to grab the knife from me and we's rolled the hill and the dagger wen' into my chest." Draco conveniently left out the fire whisky from his story.

Dumbledore nodded. "You're lucky to be alive." Dumbledore ignored Draco's snorting and went on, "This is a very serious matter. Neither of you should have been out that late, nor should you have been playing around with the knife. Blaise, you are _very _lucky that Draco's lung wasn't punctured and that it didn't hit his heart. But we shouldn't think about the what ifs. What we do need to worry about are the marks on your arms."

Draco opened his mouth to speak but Dumbledore cut him off, "I am aware that you two didn't have any say on the marks. I'm not worried about having you two stay here at Hogwarts. I'm worried about the students finding out. How long have you two had them?"

Blaise sighed, "Since the summer."

"I see… So you two are pretty skilled at hiding them? That's good. I guess that's all I have to say. We'll speak more about this later. You two should rest." Dumbledore had almost left the room when he turned around. "Oh yes, Draco, you have two weeks of detentions and Blaise, you have a month. And please, no more Fire Whiskey."

**§**

_Kill the drama; kill the dramatic. Nobody cares._


	6. Silently

**Chapter Six: **Silently

**§**

Draco Malfoy was lying alone in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey had delivered the not so good news just a few minutes ago; she had said very quietly to him that he would have to stay in put in the Hospital Wing for at least another day and that he would end up with a scar.

Draco Malfoy was actually quite pleased with the idea of having a scar. He thought that it would give him more character.

_I guess having a scar isn't that awful… I mean sure I'm not going to be perfect anymore, but how many people can say they've been stabbed? And how many people have scars? Oh, yes... Harry Fucking Potter does. Damn it. _

-

"Blaise probably doesn't even want to see me. I mean why would he?" Luna Lovegood was walking to the Hospital wing with Ginny Weasley. Luna did indeed want to see Blaise; she just didn't want to find out exactly what happened two nights ago, fearing what she had imagined had actually happened.

"Luna, you're coming with me and that's that. We're almost there anyways. You know you want to see him. We wont stay that long." Ginny sped up her pace. She seemed to not want to make it too obvious that she really wanted to get to the Hospital Wing.

Luna mumbled something under her breath that sounded a lot like, bossy little witch. She reluctantly followed Ginny.

-

Blaise Zabini was staring at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing. It was rather boring but it was the only thing he could think of doing. The only visitor that came to see him was Pansy Parkinson. She didn't really count since she hit him with her book bag while screaming at him after Draco told her was happened.

Then Pansy went off about how she had detention with Potter, which was quite horrible, and on top of that she had to work slave labor mopping the Potions classroom. Blaise dared to ask her what exactly she did to get the detention. She shot him a death glare. "I cursed some stupid first year. She stepped on my brand new cloak! Serves her right."

Since Pansy had visited Blaise had asked Madam Pomfrey about ten times if he could leave the Hospital Wing. She said no to each time he asked. Blaise was still badly bruised and he had broken his arm, which Madam Pomfrey had fixed.

Blaise tried to talk to Draco but Draco just ignored him and went on doing his staring thing again ignoring everyone and everything around him. Blaise thought he was probably counting down to the days when he could leave the Hospital Wing. Blaise tried to close his eyes and forget about everything. He wanted to see Luna. He wanted to explain everything. He wanted to tell her that he loved her. He needed sleep, but his eyes would not close.

Just as Blaise's eyes started to close for about the fifth time Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley walked inside the Hospital Wing door.

Luna slowly walked towards Blaise; she sat down on his bed and looked over at him. She was scared to ask if he was okay. What if he wasn't? "How do you feel?"

"Luna, I'm really sorry. I really do want to be with you. It's just really confusing…" Blaise didn't know what to say. He had wanted to see her so bad but yet all he could do was ramble and apologize.

Luna leaned in and kissed Blaise on the cheek. "It will be okay. Don't worry about it…" Luna paused for a moment. "But what happened? How did Draco get stabbed? I mean… you didn't, did you?" Luna looked over to Draco. Ginny was sitting on the next bed looking at him. He was asleep, or so he seemed to be. Ginny bent over him and started to slowly stroke his hair.

Blaise didn't know what to say. He knew he couldn't tell her the full truth, could he? He trusted Luna, he knew she disserved the truth. "Things got out of hand. Draco and I were sitting outside erm… drinking and he accidentally got stabbed."

_That is the stupidest thing I have ever said. Oh yes, we were frolicking in the woods and Draco just accidentally got stabbed, by a flying unicorn, that is._

"Please enlighten me, Blaise. How does one accidentally get stabbed?"

"Well, hypothetically speaking, if one were to be fighting for a knife and you push the person who you are fighting down and you roll, then the knife gets stuck in the other person's chest. That would be a way to accidentally get stabbed."

Luna bit her lip. "I'm guessing that's not so hypothetical, is it?"

"Not really."

Luna stood up and slapped Blaise. "What were you thinking? You could have killed Draco! Why did you want the knife? You weren't trying to kill yourself, were you? Please don't go suicidal on me. This is just like the things you here in the papers! The person that wants to die ends up killing the innocent little friend."

Draco's head popped up and turned to look at Luna. "I'm not an innocent little friend."

Ginny jumped up and said. "You've been awake this whole time?"

"Yes. It's nice to know that the littlest Weasley doesn't hate me after all. It's touching, really."

"Just because I was worried about you doesn't mean I don't hate you, Malfoy," Ginny said.

Draco smoothed the quilt that was lying on top of him. "Stop trying to deny it, Weasley, you care about me. But please if you're going to like me don't start stalking me like you do Potter."

Ginny started to walk over to the Hospital Wing door. "If you weren't hurt, Malfoy, I wouldn't hesitate to curse you."

"Well that's just one more reason for me to be glad I'm lying in a Hospital Wing bed."

-

Harry Potter was sitting in his least favourite class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was slouching in his chair; his chin was sitting in the palm of his hand. All in all Harry was beyond bored. Professor Snape was going on about some potion that they had to make. Harry didn't really care because he knew when it came time to make the potion he would just have to read it off of the board. Right now Harry just had way too much to worry about to care about Potions. Mainly he was worried about his scar.

In the past years Harry had always worried about why his scar was hurting. Was Voldemort close to him? Was he happy? Why was Voldemort happy? Why was he sad? In Harry's dreams most of those questions would be answered. He would know why Voldemort was feeling what he was. Though in the end of fifth year Harry learned why being able to dream about Voldemort's plans was a not as good as it first sounded.

Voldemort knew that Harry had visions. He also knew that Harry's newfound skill would help him greatly. It would help him into luring Harry into the Department of Mysteries. Although Voldemort's plan didn't go exactly the way it should have he still was able to get rid of Sirius Black.

That was the part that made Harry flinch. Was it better now that he wasn't getting visions from Voldemort? Nothing like what had happened in fifth year could happen again. But what is Harry could see real things that Voldemort was doing? What if he could stop a murder; like he stopped Arthur Weasley from dying from a snakebite?

"Harry Potter and Pansy Parkinson." The bitter tone of Professor Snape's voice snapped Harry out of his trance; he looked up and saw people getting out of their seats and going to sit by what looked like their partners.

Harry grinned, he didn't really mind working with Pansy. He knew Snape thought he would which is why he partnered him with her. Oh well, what Snape doesn't know won't kill him and will just make my life easier.

Pansy turned her head over to Harry who was now sitting in the seat next to her. Pansy slightly smirked. "Potter."

"Parkinson."

Pansy smiled. "Harry."

"Students, get to work." Snape turned his head over to where Neville was sitting, "Neville try not to set anything on fire. I really pity the cauldron you're using."

Neville muttered something that sounded like. "Kill me now."

Harry pitied Neville. He knew he would do a lot better in Potions if Snape wasn't the teacher, but it didn't look as if that would change for a while.

"Pansy, can you get the ingredients?" Harry asked.

"No, but you can." Pansy smirked.

Harry mumbled something under his breath about Slytherins and how they would never change while he was walking towards that cabinet stocked with all the ingredients they would need for the potion they were making.

Ron Weasley was over getting the ingredients at the same time Harry was. He leaned over and whispered, "I feel your pain. I have Millicent Bulstrode as my partner. Snape just does this to annoy us to no end. What I'd give to make him drink the stupid potions we have to make…"

After Harry got the ingredients needed for the potion he silently walked back to the table where Pansy was sitting.

Pansy and Harry worked in silence. They really didn't have anything to say to each other. They considered themselves at least partly friends how but they really didn't know how to talk to each other. After all those years of being enemies they really knew nothing about the other.

"Your time is up. Pour half of the potion into one vile and the other half in the other vile. If you have made the potion right then what you're about to drink is an antidote to a poisonous snakebite. If you failed to follow the simple instructions then when you drink this you will turn a bright green colour." Professor Snape's thin lips curled upwards into a sort of evil smile. "Drink up."

To Professor Snape's dismay no one in the class turned green. But of course that didn't stop him from taking off points from Gryffindor. "Miss Granger, Didn't I tell you countless times to not help Mr. Longbottom? Five points from Gryffindor."

It didn't at all help Hermione when she pointed out that Neville was working with Seamus and that she was all the way on the other side of the classroom. Professor Snape took off five more points for her arguing.

-

"You both are free to go." Right when Madam Pomfrey said that Draco and Blaise bolted up from their beds smiling. They grabbed their belongings and left. Madam Pomfrey sighed with relief as she waved her wand and cleaned up the two beds that not thirty seconds ago belonged to two seventh year Slytherins.

Draco and Blaise along with all the other residents of Hogwarts Castle heard the loud ringing from bells indicating it was time for Lunch. They both stumbled into the Great Hall quickly sitting down at the Slytherin table. Blaise looked over to the Ravenclaw table scanning it quickly to see if he could find a certain sixth year blonde. He had just found her; she was sitting at the edge of the table reading her History of Magic book when owls started to swoop down to each of the four tables carrying their owner's mail.

An Eagle owl dropped a dark green envelope with a wax seal that was shaped to look like a silver snake landed right in front of Draco Malfoy. Draco turned the letter over to the backside of it. He read silently to himself,

_Draco Malfoy, open this in total privacy._

**§**

_Silently waiting, silently wondering… all the possibilities _


	7. Knowing

**Chapter Seven:** Knowing

**§**

Draco Malfoy was sitting on the edge of his bed clutching tightly onto a white piece of paper. Lying next to Draco was a green envelope with a broken serpent seal. On the back of there were silver words saying,

Draco Malfoy, open this in total privacy 

Draco shook his head in a way that clearly stated that he couldn't believe what he just read. There was no doubt in his mind that the written words on the paper were true but his mind refused to believe it. What he could though believe was that his entire family was made up from insane, power hungry, followers. The depressing fact was that Draco knew he wasn't much different. The tattoo on the forearm proved that far too well.

Draco must have been too wrapped up in what the letter said to notice the other envelope with the Hogwarts crest laying on his pillow.

-

_Seventh years of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,_

_The staff is pleased to announce that this year Hogwarts will be hosting a good-bye ball May twenty-seventh, lasting from seven p.m. to eleven p.m. Lower years may come accompanied by a Seventh year._

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore_

That letter was folded and sealed with the Hogwarts crest. Each seventh year had gotten the same letter, which they found on their pillow up in their dormitory. Up in the Gryffindor common room everyone was talking about the ball.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were all sitting in chairs by the fireplace discussing the good-bye ball.

Ron put the letter on the table beside him. "Harry, do you have any clue on who you're going to go with?"

"No, but I've a feeling this is going to be fourth year all over again," Harry said, remembering his attempt to ask Cho Chang to the Yule Ball. "It's not a while anyways."

"Well at least this year I wont go mad and ask some veela."

"True. Do you have any idea on who you want to ask?" asked Harry.

Ron sighed again. "No, I'm probably just going to go alone. Save some time and I wont have to worry about asking anyone."

Hermione growled and put down the book she was reading. "For the love of Merlin! Ron, will you go with me to the stupid ball?"

"Bloody hell... that's a good idea! I'm glad that's over with. Why didn't I think of that?"

Hermione frowned. "Well, it's only been three years since you noticed I'm a girl…"

"Hermione, I was just joking, of course I knew you were a girl. What else would you be? And I didn't ask you in fourth year because I was sure you'd say no," Ron explained.

"Really?"

Ron smiled. "Yeah. Umm…" Ron paused and spat out really fast, "Willyougooutwithme?"

"What?"

Ron said the same thing except slower. "Will you go out with me?"

"Yes."

Harry threw his hands in the air. "Finally, It took you both till seventh year to get on with it. I was wondering how long it'd take. Well, I'll leave you two to snog I'm going to try to figure out what I'm going to do for the ball." With that Harry got up and left the common room.

-

They youngest Weasley was sitting at a table in the library. She was trying to concentrate on reading this annoyingly boring book for her History of Magic class. Every time she tried to concentrate her eyes would dart up and she would skim the perimeter of the library waiting for something exiting to happen. Even though she was quite aware that nothing of interest would be happening soon. Then she would lower her head back down to the book looking for the place she left off. Unfortunately Ginny would always lose her place so she would start over and read from the beginning of the page.

_I've read the same bloody page four times! But I can't remember what it's talking about. Binns could at least be nice enough to assign an interesting book to read out of class instead of one that mimics the way he teaches._

Ginny started to scan the room again; she looked up to the entrance door of the library. A pale male blonde was entering. To Ginny's amazement he started to walk towards her, closer and closer, until he was sitting right across from her.

"Hello, Weasley."

_What does he think he's doing? Oh, I'm Draco Malfoy, I have nothing better do to so why don't I go bother the youngest Weasley? Sounds like jiffy fun to me!_

"What do you want? I'm _trying _to read this book." Draco snatched the book from her. He closed the book while taking it from her.

"You lost my place!"

Draco rolled his eyes and gave the book back to her. "Relax, Weasley, no one in their right mind actually reads that boring piece of shit." He pointed to the book. "All the Ghost is going to do is ask some questions about current troll laws. As long as you know that then you're fine."

Ginny sighed in relief and put down the book. "Thanks, it's almost impossible to read. I wouldn't be surprised if Binns wrote it himself. So anyways why did you come over hear?"

Draco became a bit stiffer. "I, erm, wanted to say… thank you."

Ginny looked at Draco questioningly, "What for?"

Draco snapped, "Jeez, Weasley, I knew you were poor but I would think you'd own some brains. Remember? Blaise, me, knife, drinking? Ring any bells? I've even got a pretty little scar on my chest as a reminder. Would you like to see it?"

Ginny blushed. "No, thank you. And I thought you were going to lay off the poor Weasley jokes."

Draco smirked. "I lied."

"Of course, never trust a Malfoy."

Draco leaned in closer to her so that their faces were almost touching. "Oh, but you're wrong, very, very wrong."

"I'm so sure."

Draco decided to change the subject, "Has Saint Potter asked you to the ball yet?"

"No, and he's not going to."

"Well somebody's pessimistic."

Ginny decided to ignore him. Even though she wasn't being pessimistic. She thought of Harry as her brother… just her brother, a brother that she wouldn't mind snogging. Ginny pushed her thoughts out of her mind and thought it was as good of a time as any to ask Draco the question that was bothering her. "It's my turn to ask a question, why did Blaise want the knife from you? Or was he trying to hurt you? But then Dumbledore would have expelled him or something, right?"

"That, Little Weasel, is none of your business."

Ginny protested. "I have a right to know! Without me you could be dead right now! Six feet under, if I hadn't helped you. So tell me!"

Draco smirked. "I bet you're wishing you hadn't done anything."

"Maybe I am."

"Eh, you're a Weasley. Weasleys don't wish death upon people, you're too noble."

"And that's a bad thing?" asked Ginny.

Draco looked at her straight in the eye. "Depends on how long you're planning to live, and how many questions you ask. Sometimes you're better off not knowing."

Ginny got up from her chair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out on your own, Weasley."

-

"Stupid ball, dance, good-bye thing. Is the staff _trying _to make me insane? How the hell am I supposed to find a bloody date?" That was the ramblings coming from Harry Potter's mouth. He was walking up and down the halls trying to think of whom to ask to the good-bye ball.

"I always knew you were nutters, talking to yourself all alone in a hallway. You might give people the wrong impression- err, I mean right impression." Pansy was standing not a few feet behind Harry.

"Go away, Parkinson. I don't need you to make my day any worse."

"This is the response one gets from trying to make nice conversation with an arrogant prat?"

"Oh that's really rich, a nice conversation with a Slytherin?"

Pansy sat down. "I really don't know why I try to be nice to you."

Harry looked over at her. "Why are you sitting down?"

"Well isn't it obvious? I'm going to help you pick someone to go with for the dance! Come on, sit down next to me." Pansy patted the ground beside her motioning for Harry to sit down next to her.

"You've got to be joking, what if someone sees us?" Despite what he said Harry sat down anyways.

"No one comes down this hallway because it doesn't lead anywhere, and it doesn't really matter if anyone sees us, does it?"

"I suppose it doesn't."

Pansy took out a piece of parchment; a quill and some ink from her bag and looked over at Harry. "Okay, you obviously don't want to go with someone under fourth year, do you?"

"No, and could you please tell me why you're doing this?"

"Because I've got nothing better to do."

"Erm, right."

"Okay, so I'll start naming names then I'll right down the names of the people you wouldn't mind going with. Can you follow that?"

"I'm not stupid, you know."

Apparently Pansy ignored Harry because she started to name people. "Lavender Brown."

"No."

"Padma?"

"No, she went with Ron fourth year and I went with her sister, it didn't turn out very good," Harry explained.

"So that's no for her sister too." Pansy wrote down both names. "Ginny Weasley?"

"No, she's like a sister to me. It would be weird."

Pansy looked questioningly, "Alright, The Mudbl- Hermione Granger?"

"She's going with Ron."

"Ah, I see. They finally got it through to their thick skulls they were made for each other." Pansy noticed the expression on Harry's face. "What? Just because I don't like them doesn't mean I don't pay attention to them."

Pansy kept on naming people. After she said a name Harry would always reply with a no. Pansy looked down at her list, "Well congratulations Potter, you have said no to every fifth, sixth and seventh year girl at Hogwarts. At least you didn't waste a day after you got the notice about the ball to dismiss every girl fourth year an and above."

"Oh come on, you must have missed someone."

"Well, the only person I didn't name was myself but I highly doubt you would want to go with me. I could just see it now; Harry's going with her? That Slytherin? Malfoy's friend! What has the world come to? Next we'll see Slytherins and Hufflepuffs sitting together."

Harry thought for a moment. "You know, that isn't such a bad idea, going with you. I mean, we do sort of get along. It would be fun to see the look on everyone's face. Obviously, would only be going as friends, if you can even call us that. The only problem is your Slytherin friends."

Pansy shot Harry a look of disbelief. "I can't believe you agreed with me. Don't worry about my friends they won't leave me. I'm too close to Draco. Draco probably won't mind, he'll think I'm insane but I know too much about him for him to do anything."

"So basically no one can do anything to you because you'll black mail them or they'll lose their place on the food chain."

"Pretty much," said Pansy with a smug look on her face.

-

Draco Malfoy was sitting in his favourite tree on the Hogwarts grounds. He was silently thinking to himself about everything that has happened to him in these past months. He was holding the letter that he had received earlier today. Still trying to process what it all meant. If it wasn't such a big deal Draco would have found the whole thing amusing. But right now what he did find amusing was the shimmering red hair that was walking towards him, "Fancy seeing you here, Weasley." He called down to Ginny who was now standing right beneath the tree.

"Not you again."

"You don't seem happy to see me," pouted Draco.

"One of these days I'm going to come out here and you're not going to be here."

"Way to state the facts since I am graduating from Hogwarts this year."

Ginny saw the letter Draco was holding. "What's that?"

"What?"

"The parchment you're holding. It's not a love letter is it? You don't seem to happy about it."

"It's not a love letter, it's the farthest thing from it."

Ginny furrowed her eyebrows. "It's a hate letter?"

"Not exactly. What's it with you and questions? Didn't I tell you before you're better off not knowing things?" Draco jumped down from the tree. "Unless of course someone is paying you to ask all these questions. Like, your brother perhaps, or Potter."

"You're insane, Ron or Harry wouldn't dream of asking me to do anything, they don't even trust me."

Draco got closer to her. "Well, I'll choose to believe that since you aren't a very good liar."

"I am too a good liar!"

"No you aren't. The tips of your ears turn red when you lie."

Ginny turned pink. "They…do?"

"Yep."

"Oh. I'm sorry about asking about the letter and well everything, like what happened with you and Blaise. You're right, it is none of my business." Ginny stopped talking and wondered where all of that came from. She hadn't planed on saying that, even though she knew she should.

"How noble, Weasley. If you want to read the stupid letter, be my guest." He shoved the letter into her hand and lay down at the bottom of the tree.

Ginny gasped at what she read.

_Draco Malfoy, _

_You're probably going to here about this sooner or later in the Daily Prophet anyways, though it depends on how long Fudge plans on covering it all up. There has been another breakout at Azkaban. You father has escaped along with other Death Eaters. I've talked to Lucius and he told me to write this. He says he can't be bothered now to write to you. He is proud of your loyalty to The Dark Lord and your support during the missions. _

_Narcissa Malfoy_

"I can't believe, what does, oh my god." Ginny couldn't process the words she was trying to get out, "Oh, Draco. Do you want any of this? You're loyal to You-Know-Who? Why did you show me this?"

Draco took the letter back from her. "I warned you about reading it. Are you happy you know now? Are you going to tell all you're little friends? Not that I care, you don't have any proof."

Ginny leaned back against the tree next to Draco. "What does your mother mean by mission?"

"She means a Death Eater mission."

"Death Eater," Ginny squeaked.

Draco had his arms behind his back and he was looking up at the sky. "Yes."

"So that would mean you are…" Ginny trailed off.

"A Death Eater. Would you like a cookie for figuring that one out on your own?"

Ginny had to admit she was scared but she couldn't stop asking questions. "How can you joke about that?"

"What else is there to do? Would you like me to go to my room and cry about it? I've got the mark; I follow the other Death Eaters. Lucius orders me around. I don't bloody know if I'm for or against it all. There isn't a bloody thing I can do about it."

Ginny paused for a moment and tried to take in all the things he was saying, "You haven't killed anyone, have you?

"No, and I probably couldn't if I wanted to. All I'm basically allowed to do is watch. Thanks to the other Death Eaters I can see thestrals." Draco said the last part with bitter sarcasm.

Ginny didn't know how to react. What do you say to someone after they've told you that they have witnessed killings? You don't say anything at all. Well at least that's what Ginny did. She silently scooted closer to Draco. She put her head on his chest and just laid there.

Draco didn't know what possessed him to start rambling to Ginny. "I could have stopped them. I just stood there like an idiot watching them all attack people. They told me it was good for me to learn how to hide emotion and just watch. It's not the emotion part that I needed help with. It's figuring out what's right and wrong. Knowing I could have stopped them. The deaths were just as much my fault as theirs."

Ginny lifted her head up and turned to look Draco straight in the eye. She said to him, "It's not your fault." Then she leaned in and kissed him right on the lips.

**§**

_What you wouldn't give to be naïve for a day. _


	8. Suspiciously

**Chapter Eight: **Suspiciously

**§**

"Hey, umm… Hermione?" Ron walked up to a bushy haired figure reading a level seven Transfiguration book.

Hermione kept reading the book. "Yes?" she mumbled.

"Well, I was wondering if you would want to go to Hogsmeade together on Saturday." Ron quickly added, "If you're busy that's okay too, I understand."

"No, it's alright. I've finished up the work for the next two weeks."

"Then why are you reading the Transfiguration book?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why do you think? Just because I'm finished with the work doesn't mean I should stop learning."

"Right…"

-

Ginny Weasley needed to find him. She planed on wasting away her afternoon searching every nook and cranny of the castle until she found him. There was no escaping Ginny Weasley; she'd find him sooner or later. Though to Ginny's amazement, she found him earlier then she expected.

There he was, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini sitting down at the far back table in the library, each scribbling away on a piece of parchment. Ginny walked right up to Draco and whispered in his ear, "Malfoy, we need to talk."

"Maybe you need to talk but I have nothing to talk about. Whatever you need to talk about can wait, I have to finish this report so go frolic in the woods or something."

Ginny thought of something that would annoy him. "You're becoming like Hermione, work now, talking later."

Draco sneered at her, "Comparing me to the Mudblood won't get you anywhere. If you need to say something just tell me right now, I'm sure Blaise won't mind."

Blaise rose from his seat. "As much as I'd like to hear what the little Weasel wants to tell you, I really do need to get going." Blaise nodded to Ginny then walked towards the library door.

Ginny sat down in the seat Blaise had been sitting in. She bit her lip for about a moment then she sighed and started to whisper to Draco. "Draco, what happened last night?"

"So you aren't calling me Malfoy anymore?"

"I asked you a question…"

"So did I."

"Well I might stop calling you Malfoy if you tell me what last night meant."

"It meant our lips touched in a classic symbol of a momentary lapse of judgment that causes girls to ponder in long wonder over the true meaning behind the actions, which alas, were just something simple and stupid, very stupid."

Ginny sighed again. She knew this was going to be the type of answer Draco was going to give her. What else would he say? Ginny knew the only way she'd get out of him as to why he told her all those secrets last night was to directly ask him, which was something she truly did not want to do.

"I'm not talking about the kiss. I'm talking about what you told me last night, all of those things and the…mark."

Draco looked at her like she was insane. "Listen, Weasley, I don't know what your trying to get across but if you think that because I told you some private information means I'm going to be your best friend or something then you're wrong."

Ginny was starting to get very annoyed with the blond. "Excuse me, I never said that I wanted to be your best friend or anything like that. In fact I'd rather throw myself off of the astronomy tower then be your friend. I was just wondering why you told me, and showed me all of those things. Why did you trust me?"

"You were nagging me about the letter so I showed you. It has nothing to do about trust. This is exactly why I told you it's better off not knowing things. You ask too many questions and then you want to know more. It's going to end up hurting you sooner or later."

"Are you ever going to tell me why it's going to hurt me sooner or later?"

Draco just looked her straight in the eyes. Ginny could tell this was a no. She huffed and said, "Fine, maybe I'm better not knowing." Ginny got up and started to walk to the Library door. Before she even got three feet from the table she spun around and said, "Did you like the kiss, Draco?"

"Well it was fine. It would have been better if I had known it was coming." Draco smirked and said, "Like this." He walked over to where Ginny was standing. He leaned in and kissed her right on the lips.

Ginny shut her eyes and slid her hands around Draco's neck. His lips were soft and perfect. She wished that they weren't in the library, so they could really kiss. She didn't want to get into trouble, so she pulled back.

Draco leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Want to go outside? Or to the astronomy tower?"

Ginny giggled at Draco's question, but before she could tell him how romantic and funny his was, Draco started to walk towards the table. "I shouldn't have done that. Excuse me," he muttered as grabbed his books and parchment then walked off.

-

"Ron, I forgot my book in the potions room. I'll run get it. You can go ahead," Harry said right after they left their Potions class as he and Ron walked down the corridor to their next class.

"Okay. Don't be late though. Transfigurations starts in seven minutes."

Harry rushed back to the potions room to grab his book. When he walked in the door, he saw that the room was empty except for Pansy.

"Hello," he muttered as he grabbed his book of the table.

"Harry, could we talk for just a minute?"

"Yeah. I guess so..."

Harry walked over to where Pansy was sitting and sat down beside her.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Harry.

"Us."

"Us?" Harry looked a bit worried.

"Yes. Us. Do you like me?" Pansy asked.

"Well… I mean, we are friends, I suppose… So yeah, I like you."

Pansy huffed. "Come on, Harry, you know what I mean. Do you want to go to the ball as friends or something more?"

Harry stuttered. "Some-something more? Pansy, we can't. It's not because you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor, it's not some cliché thing like that. We were enemies for six years. You helped Umbridge, you helped Malfoy try to make my life hell, you stood for everything I didn't," When Harry finished talking he didn't get up. He just sat in the chair and stared at his knees. He didn't feel like making a dramatic exit, he wanted to wait and see what Pansy had to say.

"You're right, you know that? I did help Umbridge and did help Malfoy, but I had no reason not to. You weren't exactly the nicest person to me either. I wasn't thinking, hmm… Maybe I should be a bit nicer to Harry Potter because we might end up being friends! No, what I had running through my mind was that you were annoying little Saint Potter, everybody's friend but the Slytherins."

While Pansy was saying this she was looking strait at the side of Harry's head. She figured there was no reason to hold anything back. If all went wrong she could go back to being the same old Gryffindor hating Slytherin. Pansy laid her hand on Harry's shoulder. "So, Potter, I'm only going to ask you one last time, will you go to the dance with me as more then friends? Take your time though, I don't mind waiting, just as long as I get an answer in time in case I need to find a different date."

Harry looked up at Pansy whose hand was still on his shoulder. He rolled his eyes and said, "What's six pure years of hatred have to do with anything? Sure, why not? Pansy, would you like to go to the dance with me as my girlfriend?"

Pansy's eyes lit up, she truly wasn't expecting that. She inwardly smirked, maybe she was a better speaker then she thought. Getting someone to change their mind in so little time was a gift. Her inward smirk started to play outwards. "I'd love to, but tell me, Potter, what's with the sudden change in opinion? Is it because of my stunning good looks?"

Harry leaned forward and whispered, "Maybe just a little," in her ear. Then he kissed her on the cheek. "I really need to get going, I can't be late for my next class."

Harry started to get up from his seat when Pansy pulled him back down. "Oh no you don't. You're not going anywhere till I get a proper kiss." Pansy leaned forward until she and Harry's lips were only a few centimeters away.

Harry's breathing became heavy, Pansy put her arms around his neck, and she placed her lips on his. They kissed for what seemed like ages, neither of them could truly believe what was happening. Two sworn enemies were snogging in the Potion's classroom. What made it more unbelievable was that it felt so normal.

-

"Why were you late for Transfigurations?" Ron asked Harry while walking into the Great Hall.

"Remember? I had to get my Potion's book." Harry mentally kicked himself for not thinking of anything better to say.

"…And that took you fifteen minutes?" Ron looked at Harry questioningly as he sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I got sidetracked." Harry mentally noted to come up with better lies in the future. Even though this wasn't exactly a lie. He did get sidetracked…. By Pansy, but Ron and Hermione didn't need to know that. Harry wondered when he'd tell them about Pansy. They'd end up finding out sooner or later.

"What? Did you have a little meet up or something with Malfoy? Plotting against us in the Potion's classroom?" Ron joked. He noticed Ginny, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table give a little flinch when he said Malfoy. Ron turned to Ginny and said, "Are you alright, Ginny?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. It's just a little cold in here, that's all." Ginny knew that was a horrible lie. Especially since she sounded like she was almost on the verge of tears.

"Why don't you use a heating charm? You should have learned those in fourth year." Hermione looked suspiciously at Ginny. She knew something wasn't quite right with Ginny or Harry.

-

Draco Malfoy was leaned up against a tree. He was throwing pebbles into the lake while muttering to himself. "Stupid Draco. Stupid, moronic, naive, but devilishly handsome Draco."

Draco heard someone laugh. "It's more like, Stupid, obnoxious, pessimistic but overly narcissistic Draco," He turned his head to see that Luna was the one that spoke. She was standing in front of Blaise who was also laughing.

"So, Draco, may we join your little pity party?" Draco sneered at him, but Blaise kept talking. "What did you screw up this time? Come on, tell Blaise and Luna what happened."

Draco mumbled something about decapitating Blaise. Then he mumbled a little louder, "The Weasley girl. Library, stupid Draco, running."

"I see… You managed to make a fool of yourself in front of the Weasley girl, again."

Draco sneered. "Well at least I'm not the psycho stabber." He turned Luna. "I really don't know why you stay with him. Though you two are both insane enough that you might like dating a psychotic. Match made in hell."

"If you're finished insulting us, which is very low since you aren't any better, I think you should go find Ginny and talk to her. And I mean talking, not running away. Though if you get to the point of snogging don't ruin that either."

-

Draco Malfoy was walking up and down the hallways of Hogwarts Castle. He was trying to find Ginny Weasley. "Must find Weasel. Must find Weasel," repeated in his mind over and over again. Draco's eyes lit up, there she was, Ginny. She was sitting down by a statue of a lion reading a book. "What's the little Weasel doing out of bed?"

"I'm reading…" Ginny didn't even bother to look up.

"So you've given up on your writing?"

"Cut the crap, Malfoy, you don't care about my writing. So are you just here to bother me or is there a reason?"

Draco smirked. "A little bit of both."

He now sat down next to her just staring at the wall ahead. Draco figured there was a lot he didn't know, He didn't know why in the world he was hanging around a Weasley when he could be in the Slytherin common room doing something productive like tormenting the first years.. He didn't know quite what he was doing with the Death Eaters and he certainly didn't know why he kissed said Weasley.

Ginny put down the book she was reading and stretched her arms above her head. "Well, now can I ask you something?"

Draco stretched his legs out in front of him. "It depends what you're asking."

"Why are you so…cruel to me at times but at other times you're nicer and you actually talk. And then you kiss me. Can't you just pick a personality and get on with it?"

"If you have a problem with my multiple personalities then maybe you shouldn't be around me," said Draco.

"Excuse me? You're the one that came to me right now."

"Hmm… yes, but, my dear Weasel, you found me almost every other time."

Ginny shrugged. "It was bad luck. And it's not my fault you like _my _tree."

Draco sneered. "It's not your tree. I was there before you."

"Whatever. I've got more important things to do then argue over a tree, that is mine." Ginny added the last part as an afterthought.

"Well I don't, so, if you don't mind, well actually I don't care if you mind, I'm going to sit here and stare at the wall in front of me."

Ginny turned to him with an odd look on her face. "Are you serious?"

"Nope, I was actually planning on bothering you."

"I could just walk back to Gryffindor Tower."

"True, but then you'd have to admit Draco Malfoy got the best of you."

"I see… Then I'll try to annoy you," said Ginny.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Knock yourself out."

Ginny lost herself in though for a moment. "Why did you kiss me?"

"Because I felt like it."

"So you kiss everyone you feel like kissing?" asked Ginny.

Draco put his hands behind his head. "Wouldn't that depend upon how many people I feel like kissing? And, Weasel, I could be asking you the same thing, why'd you kiss me?"

"I-I didn't know what else to do."

Draco smirked. "Well there's your answer."

"Oh."

"Yep."

A moment of silence passed by till Ginny said, "Well, what if I didn't know what to right now?"

Draco smirked. "You didn't really say that, did you?"

"You have ears, don't you?"

"Yes, Weasel, I have ears."

"Ginny."

"What?"

"Call me Ginny. I'm calling you Draco, you should at least return the gesture."

"Fine… Ginny," Draco said reluctantly.

Ginny smiled, "Thank you." Then she kissed him, for the second time.

-

For the second time that day someone ran off after being kissed. This time it was Ginny. She grabbed her book and ran all the way to the portrait of the Fat Lady. When she got there though there was another figure in front of it. Harry Potter was standing there with messy hair, swollen lips and crooked glasses.

Harry looked very surprised when he saw her. "Ginny? What are you doing out of the common room?"

Ginny smiled. "I could ask the same to you. But I won't since I doubt you'd tell me."

"True, let's get in before someone notices us. I doubt anyone will be up though."

Harry was wrong, there were two figures sitting in front of the fireplace. A bushy haired girl and a red headed boy, both wearing astonished looks on their faces when they saw who had just entered the common room.

Ron had an angered look on his face, "Harry, what are you doing with my sister?"

**§**

_Is there something you aren't telling me? Something you're hiding? Do I wait till you say or do I ask you? Do I just hide in the dark suspiciously wondering?_


	9. Trusting

**Chapter Nine:** Trusting

**§**

Ginny loved her brother dearly but at times he amazed her with how dense he could be. At this very moment he was raving on about how he thought Harry was his best friend and how dare he sneak off with his little sister at this time of night. And why didn't Harry tell him that he was dating Ginny? Or how he was embarrassed that his little sister would go around being a scarlet woman.

"Ron, calm down. Ginny and I aren't dating."

Ron seemed to hear this the wrong way. "You two aren't dating? So you just go off to snog, no strings attached? My sister… my best friend… oh god."

"Ron, Just shut up for a second and let me explain, not that it's any of your business. Harry and I weren't with each other. I was out reading; I have no clue where Harry was though. So why don't you let him tell you his story? I'm going to bed." With that Ginny went off to bed. She didn't actually go to sleep; she stayed up writing till her roommates' snoring cut off her concentration.

-

Harry mentally cursed Ginny when she walked up to her room. She left him all alone with two unhappy friends. One was angry because he thinks you were snogging his sister and the other is upset because now she has to deal with a raving lunatic of a boyfriend.

"Well, Harry, if you really weren't with Ginny then what were you doing out so late?" Hermione decided it would be best if she tried to steer the conversation to calmer direction. Though she wasn't entirely sure if she believed Ginny. What were the chances they were both the same night and came back at the same time?

Think, Harry, think. I could have been reading, except I don't have a book with me. I could have been mindlessly strolling around after dark. They even know I'm not that stupid, with Filch and all. So, do I tell them I was with Pansy?

Harry's thoughts were cut short when Ron said, "Does this have anything to do with when you were late for Transfiguration?

Yes!

"No."

"You sure?"

Course I'm sure! I'm sure I'm lying.

"Yes, what? Do you think I'm lying?"

Ron paused for a second. "No, it's just a little odd. You never did answer exactly what you were doing that made you so late for Transfiguration though."

Pansy and I were talking, then snogging.

"I just got sidetracked, I didn't really feel like going to Transfiguration so I let myself get sidetracked."

Yeah, and I was busy.

"Harry, that was totally irresponsible! We have N.E.W.T.'s coming up. You can't just take your time because you don't feel like going. What if we had learned something important before you came in? You'd have been behind." Hermione kept on ranting about going to class and being on time. Then she grabbed some Transfiguration books and shoved them into Harry's arms. "Here, learn something." Then she went to her Head Girl bedroom, which was right down the hall from the Gryffindor Common Room.

Harry sat in front of the common room fire waiting for Ron to head off to bed, just like Hermione had, but Ron just sat in a chair finishing his homework that was due the next day. Harry didn't want to go to bed, but he knew that if he didn't Ron would start badgering him about things that had happened in the last few days. Despite this, Harry stayed right where he was sitting.

After a while Ron finally said something. "I believe you. I don't think you were with Ginny, but I do think you're hiding something. I'm just not sure what it is. Anyways I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

A pang of guilt rushed through Harry. He really should have told Ron and Hermione about Pansy.

-

The days that followed the horrible night were not of much interest. The same could be said for this particular morning.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were eating breakfast, they didn't really say much at all. Harry felt like he wanted to scream, but he quickly decided against it.

-

Ginny wasn't exactly having the best morning either. She was debating with herself on what she should do with the whole Malfoy thing. (She had been dodging him the past few days.) First of all she was wondering if there really was a Malfoy thing to worry about? Why not just ignore him, get a boyfriend and get on with her life? Finding a boyfriend would be the hard part though. Ginny was fairly good looking but she knew she wasn't anything special. The most interesting part of her was her bright red hair went down to the middle of her back, the rest of herself she marked as plain and boring. Ginny knew that there was more then looks to get someone to date her but as far as she knew nobody at Hogwarts fancied her.

Now Ginny had come up with three possible ideas. She could either:

Just do what she knew she had to do. Talk to Malfoy. (Easier said then done)

Leave Hogwarts and join the circus. Also known as running away from her problems. (Ginny dismissed this idea since she had a big fear of clowns and elephants.)

She could pretend Malfoy didn't exist and if he ever tried to talk to her she could pretend he wasn't there. If he kept on bothering her then she'd just indulge in a conversation with one of her many invisible friends.

Ginny sighed to herself as she thought this over. She didn't like any of the ideas that much. The last idea would be sort of fun but it could last forever, unless of course Malfoy was planning on ignoring her also. Ginny knew she only had one option: talking to Malfoy.

-

During Charms class the only thing Harry could think about was Pansy. She had slipped him a note yesterday while they were on their way to potions. He had nodded to her then quickly put it in his pocket.

Harry could hear Professor Flitwick going on and on about some charm, but he couldn't concentrate. He couldn't help but think about the note from Pansy. Harry had put the note in his room but he could still remember what it said, 'Harry, meet me at eight, you know where. - You Know Who.' Harry let out a soft laugh at the 'You Know Who' part.

Harry had also gotten a letter from Headmaster Dumbledore; his letter was strikingly close to what Pansy's looked like. Basically the letter asked Harry to meet him in his office after Charms class. He wanted to ask him about his scar. Harry hoped that this meeting would be rather long because his next class was Potions.

After class Harry walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were waiting for him by the door, he told them about Dumbledore's letter then asked, "Ron, can you get my Potions and Care of Magical Creatures books from the dormitory? I doubt I'll have time after talking to Dumbledore"

Ron said, "Sure, mate."

Hermione had a worried look on her face. "Make sure that when you talk with Dumbledore you'll listen to everything he has to say. Okay, Harry?"

Harry nodded then went off to Dumbledore's office.

-

She was going to do it, Ginny Weasley risk-taking girl extraordinaire was going to do it. She was going to march up to Draco Malfoy and talk to him. Yes, talking, not kissing.

Draco Malfoy had just left the Slytherin table and was heading to his first class with Blaise Zabini. Draco and Blaise were just silently walking when Draco felt someone tapping on his back. He turned around to see the littlest Weasley standing behind him with her arms crossed. "Is there something you want?"

"Yes."

Blaise, who had also stopped walking, wondered as to whether or not he should be here. "I think I better be going, and I rather watch a potential snog fest."

Blaise turned to walk away when a hand grabbed onto his arm. "Oh, no you don't. I need a witness to this. Someone to back me up when I finally realize what the hell I'm doing."

Blaise grinned. "Okay, I'll stay, this sounds interesting."

Draco frowned. "Blaise may find this interesting, but I have better things to do, so unless you spit it out, Ginny, I'm leaving."

Ginny smiled when she heard Draco say her name. "Okay, okay, Draco Malfoy, willyougooutwithme?"

Draco smirked. "Could you repeat that? I don't speak Weasel."

Ginny sighed, her eye started to water. She knew Draco had heard exactly what she said. "Never mind, forget about it. I really need to get to class."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeash, Ginny, don't go off crying. Sure, why not? I'll go out with you, but don't expect me to be romantic and crap. I'd really rather throw myself off the astronomy tower." He said the last part with a small smirk.

Draco was about to kiss Ginny when Blaise started laugh. Both Ginny and Draco looked at him. "Brilliant! Perfect! You two aren't the biggest idiots in the school anymore. Well, Draco might still be, but anyways, I'm leaving." Blaise started to walk away backwards while waving at them and blowing kisses. "Oh and congratulations, don't forget to invite me to the wedding."

"Blaise, shut the fuck up, or you won't get invited." Draco looked back at Ginny, "Now where was I?" Ginny giggled, then they kissed.

-

Ron and Hermione were walking up to the Gryffindor Tower discussing what Dumbledore and Harry could be talking about. Hermione asked Ron what he thought they were talking about.

"Well about his scar, of course. Most likely Dumbledore is just going to hammer Harry with questions about it. Probably going to ask him if his scar is hurting. Dumbledore is obsessed with that thing."

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe Dumbledore has an idea as to what Voldemort is up to. I do hope Harry takes everything that Dumbledore says to heart."

"Yeah."

When Ron and Hermione got to the boys dormitory they were greeted with a very messy room, just as it always was. Hermione thought it was rude for the guys to keep their room this messy when the house elves had to clean it up. As she walked further into the room her eyes landed at Ron's bed. It was by far the messiest. He had clothes, books, parchment and quills lying everywhere. Hermione laughed at the Chudley Cannon boxers lying partly under his bed. "Nice boxers." Ron blushed and quickly stuffed them into a drawer.

Hermione smiled and said. "I think they're cute." Then she kissed him on the cheek. "Let's find Harry's books or we'll be late to class."

Ron walked over to Harry's side of the room and searched for his Potions and Care of Magical Creatures books. He found them right beside Harry's nightstand. Ron picked them up, got his own books and then he and Hermione left the room. When they entered the common room Ron noticed a crumpled piece of parchment sticking slightly out of Harry's potions book. Curiosity took over him, he un-crumpled the parchment and read it. The same that Harry recited in his head were on the parchment. Ron gasped.

Hermione looked over at him with an odd expression on her face. "What is it?" Ron showed her the paper. "So Harry was meeting Ginny."

Ron shook his head. " No, I don't think he was meeting Ginny. They didn't seem like they were together. Plus I trust Harry and Ginny, I'm sure they would tell me if they were dating."

Hermione bit her lip. "But he was meeting someone. Ron, you should put the parchment back where it was, we should just wait until he tells us. Which hopefully will be soon."

"Oh, I was thinking about following Harry…"

Hermione smacked him playfully on the arm. "Ron! We don't even know how old this is. It could have been from before when we caught him sneaking in. Plus Harry would never forgive us if we stalked him."

Ron sighed. "True, I just wanted to feel all special and mysterious."

-

At the end of the school day Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all in the Gryffindor Common Room. Ginny was sitting by herself doing some homework; well she was trying to do homework. She couldn't stop smiling. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting across the room. Ron kept glancing over at Ginny; he was wondering what made her so damn happy. He looked over at Harry who was trying to study for a Potions test. Ron quickly shook his head and pushed the thought out of his mind. At least Ron tried to push the thought out of his mind. He mumbled something. "Umm… So, Harry, anything new?"

Harry gave him an odd look. "Nothing except the meeting with Dumbledore, which I already told you about. He just asked about my scar and whether it was hurting."

"Oh, right."

Ron thought for a minute, "Do you have a girlfriend?" Hermione quickly kicked him when he said that. "Ow, what was that for?" Hermione gave him an icy glare in response.

Harry gave a nervous laugh. "If I had a girlfriend wouldn't you two know?"

**§**

Trust is like a piece of fabric. Once it's torn it will never be just how it was before.


	10. Hyperactive

**Chapter Ten:** Hyperactive

**§**

After a few days had gone by since Ron had asked Harry if he had a girlfriend the whole situation seemed to die down. The only problem was that Hermione and Ron had dropped it, not Harry. Harry still had to worry about meeting Pansy in private without attracting attention. Harry had come to the conclusion that lying and sneaking around was too much work.

It was now breakfast at Hogwarts and Hermione was asking for Harry to pass the eggs. Harry wasn't listening. He couldn't listen. He was gazing across the tables to where Pansy was sitting.

Pansy was still rather drowsy looking, as was Harry. Which might be expected when they spent a good part of the night… well… not sleeping.

"Harry, could you pass the eggs?" Hermione asked for the second time.

Harry however didn't move, he just sat with his fork drooping from his and, barely touching his food.

"Harry, could you pass the eggs?" Hermione asked, a little louder this time.

Still, Harry sat staring off at Pansy, who was giving him looks across the room.

Hermione was getting frustrated at being ignored, so she took her fork, and whacked it against Harry's wrist. Harry was startled out of his daydreams.

"What do you want, Hermione?" he asked a little too loudly.

"The eggs. For the fourth time," she retorted.

"Oh, yeah sorry," Harry grumbled.

Hermione looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Sure."

"You look tired, did you get enough sleep last night? Ron told me that you didn't get to bed last night until two. Why were you out so late? Were you with Ginny?"

"I wasn't snogging Ginny."

"I never said anything about snogging, Harry."

Harry looked up at her. "Well you implied it."

Hermione sighed. "Whatever, Harry. I just wish that you would tell Ron and me what exactly is going on with you. We are your best friends, aren't we?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I'll tell you tonight, I promise."

Hermione studied him as if to see if he was telling the truth. "Alright, tonight in the common room."

-

All during History of Magic Draco Malfoy was having an interesting conversation with himself. Actually it was much more like an argument over why was he dating a Weasley. Draco had many theories, one was that he was put under a spell when he agreed; another theory was that he really wasn't paying attention. His last theory was that he really did care about Ginny Weasley; of course that was one of the least plausible ones. Draco Malfoy couldn't care less about Ginny, who just happened to be his girlfriend. That's when it hit him, he either was very stupid or very suicidal or maybe both.

The part that really bothered him was the fact that Ginny was the one that asked, not him. Did she ask him as a joke? Maybe she was trying to get information for Potter, or did she care about him? But why, why would she? All these thoughts and emotions started to annoy Draco. But for now he pushed those out of his mind and concentrated on something pleasant, he Draco Malfoy was dating Ron Weasley's sister, and the Weasel knows nothing of it. Now that was something to smirk about.

On the other side of the classroom there sat two very confused boys, one was Ron Weasley trying to figure out just why Malfoy was smirking at him as if he knows something that he didn't. The other boy was Harry Potter who as always way trying to figure out just how he got in this mess. But was it really a mess? I mean sure, he's been 'lying' to his best friends who have always been there for him and saved his life a few times, but still, it's his life and his choice as to whether he tells his friends who he's dating… Right? Wrong, Harry knew he was dead wrong and he also knew what he had to do.

-

Ginny Weasley was happy, a little too happy for her own good. She was in such a dreamy state she could barely comprehend what the teachers were saying during class. In potions she almost knocked over her caldron onto Professor Snape. She ended up getting a detention for lack of paying attention in class. Luckily for her and the safety of others the detention put a damper on her happiness- but not enough to stop her from skipping to lunch.

At lunch Ginny decided to sit next to Luna. She felt the need to get away from certain Gryffindors, for fear she'd explode and tell them everything. Although… Ginny wouldn't mind seeing the look on Ron face if she told them. Now that would be priceless.

Luna tugged knocked Ginny out of her thoughts by tugging on her sleeve. "Ginny! Pay attention. I'm _trying_ to talk to you. But you seem to be _preoccupied _about something, what is it?"

Ginny looked up at Luna. "Hmm? What? Sorry, I was just thinking about telling Ron everything."

Luna sighed. "You really should. If you're really going to date Draco… That sounds odd, dating Draco. Sounds like a book. _Dating Draco: Getting Beyond The Mask Of The Confused Soul._"

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Cute." She looked down to her full plate of food and sighed, she forgot all about eating. Knowing there was only about three more minutes of lunch she grabbed a piece of bread and shoved it in her mouth whilst wrapping food into her napkin and placing it into her book bag.

When lunch ended Ginny said good-bye to Luna and ran to the end of the hallway then sat down against the stone wall and waited, and waited, and waited. Then finally a tall unsuspecting blond walked down the hallway until Ginny yanked him over to her.

Draco looked down at Ginny. "Umm… hi?"

Ginny smiled. "Do you have class?"

"Nope."

"Good answer, I'm hungry and you don't have class. Perfect. Follow me."

Draco didn't really have a choice since she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down the hallway.

-

Ronald Weasley was a confused young man. His best friend is keeping secrets and his sister has been a little too happy. He wasn't sure if the last part about his sister was good or not. He signed to himself and turned to his 'best friend' who was scribbling down notes for class. Ron shook his head and started writing down notes of his own. While writing he started to think to himself, _Harry does seem to be happier then he's been in a long time. So whomever he's seeing is making him happy. So that's good, right? It's just so odd that he kept this from us- Hermione and me. I mean he trusts us, right? Why wouldn't he? _

-

"Ginny, are you kidnapping me?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "No, idiot. Now shush."

Draco smirked. "Your kind words make me giggle. Now I'm kind of sad you're not kidnapping me, that would have been exciting, and a bit kinky."

"Ew. And I said shush."

"Yes, your Weaselness."

Ginny looked at him in shock. "You have to be kidding me."

Draco smiled. "What? I like it. It has a ring to it, Weaselness."

Ginny stopped walking when she reached a statue of a lion. "Erm, whatever. We're here, finally."

"Oh joy. Now are you going to say a fancy password or tap something? Then is the statue going to disappear and some stares will start forming?"

"No, we're going to sit behind it."

"You have to be kidding…"

Ginny started walking behind the lion. "Nope, sorry to spoil your fun but this is it. Look, see? We're hidden when we're behind it."

Draco followed Ginny. "Great, a weasel and a lion."

"You're dating the weasel."

Draco smiled. "I said, great."

-

Classes were over for the day. Luna and Blaise were sitting outside under what Draco would call, Draco's tree, no touchy. Luna was picking petals off of a flower and Blaise was fidgeting. He kept moving around and biting his lip a lot. Finally Blaise stopped moving and said, "Luna, I have to tell you something."

Luna looked at him wide eyed. "What?"

Blaise took a deep breath. "Well you see, this summer, I well, you know umm my parents made me. They umm took me to… Aw, screw it. I'm a Death Eater. I have the Dark Mark and everything."

"I know."

"What? How?" Blaise said.

Luna scratched her head. "I saw it when you were in the infirmary."

"Oh."

Luna smiled. "Yeah. I know you don't support You Know Who. If you did I'd have to smack you. It's just a tattoo, Blaise. It doesn't mean anything. And plus, tattoos are sexy."

Blaise laughed. "And I suppose you know Draco is one too."

"Yep. Ginny and I ended up with a lovely bunch of Slytherins."

"That you did."

-

I was time… time for Harry to run for his life. Or face Ron and Hermione. He was obviously going to go for the last choice because he really didn't fancy running. Harry headed inside the common room and saw Hermione and Ron sitting in two chairs in a secluded corner. They looked like they had just finished talking about something important. Harry walked up to them and sat in the unoccupied chair. He was just about to open his mouth to speak when Hermione said, "Listen, Harry, we know about you and Pansy."

Harry's jaw dropped and said the only words he could think of, "Huh?"

-

Ginny skipped into the common room. She looked over to Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting the corner. Unlike usual though they didn't have their heads together whispering to each other. Today Hermione and Ron were staring blankly at Harry who looked very shocked. Ginny's curiosity got the best of her and she walked over to the trio. She stod by Harry and asked, "Are you okay?"

Harry glanced up at her. "Yeah, I think." He looked to Hermione and Ron. "How did you find out?"

Ron answered that. "Well, you kept looking over at the Slytherin table, that wasn't too weird. But you weren't staring daggers or anything. You acted like a lovesick puppy, kind of creepy. Hermione was too busy going on about the whole Ginny thing to notice."

Hermione glared at Ron. "But then I noticed Pansy slip you another note. So that answered everything."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean another note?"

Ron was tracing circles on the floor with his shoes. "Oh, um, when we got your Potions book for you we sort of found a note inside of it. We weren't snooping or anything."

Harry laughed. "Sure. You guys don't seem mad, you don't care about me dating Pansy?"

Hermione sighed. "It's not that we don't care, it's just we noticed how happy you've been and we want you to be happy. We don't want you to have to sneak around anymore."

Harry smiled. "Thanks."

The trio seemed to forget that Ginny was standing right there hearing everything they were saying. She coughed to try to get their attention.

Ron looked up. "Oh, um, Ginny. Hi."

Ginny rolled her eyes and looked over at Harry. "Harry, that's wonderful you're dating someone. Slytherins do seem to be getting around. They're making people hyperactive." With that ending note Ginny smiled and headed up to her dormitory leaving three clueless Gryffindors behind.

**§**

_Before the sun went down and before he knew what's going on, a kiss storm like a meteor shower, her lips got hyperactive._ Hyperactive –Kill Hannah


	11. Impossible

**Chapter Eleven: **Impossible

**§**

Pansy Parkinson did not look like a pug, thank you very much. She was actually quite normal looking contrary to what people said. It wasn't Pansy's fault that she had a name that went so well with the word pug.

People seemed hate Pansy for no reason at all; they just randomly decide to have something against her. Pansy came to the conclusion that this was because she was friends with Draco Malfoy, and you'd have to be an idiot (or a first year) to not know who Draco Malfoy was, and why you should hate him.

In all honesty the only reason she even became friends with Draco was because she thought he was good looking when she first laid eyes on him. Pansy laughs at that memory now because Draco was not at all what people would call good looking in first year. In fact, he really did resemble a ferret (a very blond and pointy ferret). Luckily he grew out of that, sort of.

People also, along with calling Pansy a pug, called Draco a ferret. The Pug and the Ferret. Not exactly the most amusing thing from Pansy and Draco's point of view. Most people didn't call Draco a ferret to his face, though. They instead used it all the time behind his back, because most weren't stupid enough to do something the equivalent of signing a death warrant.

Pansy wasn't a very fearsome person. She wasn't very tall and she wasn't very strong. People could literally walk all over her. The only way she could defend herself was to shout back rude remarks that was exactly what made people hate her in the first place, that along with being friends with the equally vile Draco.

Pansy sighed to herself and rested her head against the arm of the sofa in the Slytherin common room. She now knew for sure that nobody would accept her dating Harry Potter. The Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. The boy who defeated the Dark Lord when he was a baby, the boy that everyone secretly respected no matter how much the hated him. How could that same boy be dating Pansy Parkinson? It wasn't believable. Pansy couldn't even believe it herself and she was the one dating him.

Suddenly, someone took Pansy out of her thoughts. It was Draco Malfoy; he had sat down next to her. "Pansy, are you okay? You look kind of dead."

Pansy sat up and through a sofa pillow at Draco. "Why, thank you. You sure do have a way with word. And for your information, I was thinking."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." Pansy sighed. "So, are you sitting for a reason? Or are you just trying to annoy me?"

"Can't I talk to my best friend anymore?"

"You've barely talked to me the last few days, Draco," said Pansy with a very noticeable bitter tone in her voice.

"Oh, um, sorry about that. It's just… I've been busy, very busy. You haven't talked to me either."

"I guess we've both been busy," Pansy said.

"But the question is, what have you been busy with? Hmm? Got yourself a boyfriend?" Draco asked. He regretted it instantly; Pansy was sure to ask what exactly he's been doing too_. Smart move, Draco, _he thought to himself.

"That's ridiculous!" Pansy laughed. "If I had a boyfriend you'd be the first I'd tell. I would tell you every, single little detail about him until you begged me to stop. What a stupid question…" Pansy silently thanked herself at how good she is at lying.

"True, very true. So does this mean you're not bringing anyone to the ball?" asked Draco.

"I guess not," Pansy said. "It's just a ball, probably going to be boring anyways. I might not even go." Pansy now mentally kicked herself, Draco knew that she loved balls and she loved dancing.

"Am I supposed to believe that?"

"Well, yes. That was the whole point," said Pansy.

"Humph," replied Draco eloquently.

Pansy smiled. "So, Draco, got yourself a boyfriend?"

Draco wasn't really paying attention to the question when he automatically replied, "Yes." Thinking of Ginny, who obviously was a girl, not a guy. Then after a few seconds he went, "What? No! Pansy!"

Pansy laughed and ran up to the Slytherin girls' dormitories.

-

The youngest daughter, and only daughter, of Arthur and Molly Weasley was very confused. She was confused about two things. One was how could Harry Potter possibly be dating Pansy Parkinson. She was a _Slytherin_. Which was very hypocritical for her to say, but she, unlike Harry, wasn't the savior of the Wizarding world. Ginny Weasley was just Ginny Weasley; she held no other title and had nothing to live up to, and right now, she loved that.

Ginny's second confusion was why couldn't she tell Ron that she was dating Draco Malfoy? Harry told Ron about Pansy, why couldn't she do the same? To simply put it, she feared for her life.

-

In the whole mess of problems that were circling around a few Gryffindors and Slytherins (and I suppose one Ravenclaw) there were two Gryffindors who felt very out of the loop and they weren't very happy about it.

Ron and Hermione were sitting by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. They had been sitting there for about a half an hour waiting for Harry to show up. Actually, they gave up waiting for him since they were quite she he was off somewhere with Pansy doing better things than talking with his friends (Ron shuddered at this thought).

Both Ron and Hermione had told Harry that they were fine with him dating Pansy. This was half true, and half a lie. Ron was happy he was dating someone other than his sister and Hermione was happy that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin were dating. Neither of them were happy that he was dating Pansy, the same Pansy that was friends with Draco Malfoy. It was impossible to imagine why after all that has happened between him and Pansy that he would actually _like _her, in a romantic way.

"Pansy probably poisoned him with a spell or something…" Ron said after a while of silence between him and Hermione.

Hermione looked up from the essay she was writing. "Yes, Ron, she poisoned him. Because we all know that Pansy's capable to do that."

"She could have had Malfoy do it for her," mumbled Ron.

"We would have noticed," Hermione said. "Harry's dating Pansy out of his own free will, and that's that. You're going to have to accept it or you're going to go crazy."

"Harry's the crazy one."

-

"This is lame," said Pansy.

"What is?" asked Harry.

They were both sitting behind a statue of a lion on the six floor of Hogwarts Castle.

"That I lied to Draco. That's lame," replied Pansy.

"Well, I told Ron and Hermione, so why can't you just tell Malfoy?"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Because it's _Draco Malfoy_, Harry. Think about it. You can't just tell him that you're dating a Gryffindor. Especially when it's The Boy Who Lived. Duh."

"Oh, um, okay. I wonder if when I die they'll call me The Boy Who Finally Died."

"That's just…special," said Pansy. "I still can't believe Weasley and Granger were happy for you. Gryffindors are weird."

"Weird in a good way, as in they accept their friends and their decisions."

"I bet they wouldn't accept you if you decided to date You Know Who." Pansy thought for a moment. " I don't think I would either. You leaving me for him would be pretty sad and disturbing."

-

"You're in my tree, Weasley," said voice from below. "First you sit leaning against my tree now you're in it."

"You're a very rude boyfriend, you know that?" replied Ginny.

Ginny had left the common room around ten o'clock that night to do some writing. She also knew there was a good chance that Draco would be out there as well. Which was a good enough of a reason to break a few school rules.

"I'm a Malfoy. Malfoys automatically suck at all things that have to do with relationships. It's in the Malfoy Handbook, you should read it before you attempt to date one." Draco grabbed onto one of the lower branches and started to slowly climb up the tree.

"You could always be a nonconformist… it seems to suit your personality," said Ginny. "Then you could be a wonderful boyfriend and buy me chocolate and junk."

"Sounds like fun. I can be a nonconformist who buys chocolate and _junk_ for his girlfriend. I'm already getting giddy about this!"

"You're an arse." Ginny tore a piece of paper from her notebook and threw it at him.

"Can't argue that."

Ginny and Draco sat in silence for a few moments until they decided to lie by the lake like a normal, romantic couple would. The problem was that Draco was not romantic. He was cold, sarcastic and rude. Ginny wasn't like that at all but that was what she liked about Draco. She would agree that opposites do in fact attract.

Ginny was curled up in Draco's arms with her head on his chest. She was half asleep and half in deep thought. Her deep thoughts were interrupted when a voice said, "Ginny? Malfoy? What's going on...?"

The voice belonged to Harry Potter.

**§**

_The impossibility of something is always debatable. _

* * *

Ugh, I know that chapter sucked. And it was short, very short. I just felt horrible because I haven't updated in so long. Again, I'm REALLY sorry about its length (or lack of it). 


	12. Beginning

**Chapter Twelve: **Beginning

**§**

"To what do I owe the pleasure for you paying us a visit, Potter?" Draco smirked. "Would you like a cup of tea? Oh sorry, we don't seem to have any, so why don't you just run along."

"I'll run along, as you so eloquently put it, when I know why _you_ are out here with Ginny," Harry said, crossing his arms while moving closer to Draco to try to intimidate him.

"I'll answer that when you tell me why in Merlin's name are _you_ are out here with Pansy." Draco laughed as he heard Pansy squeak from behind Harry. "Yes, Pansy, I can see you. No, hiding behind Potter was not a good idea. If you haven't noticed, it's a full moon. It sort of ruins your hiding attempt."

"Dammit, Draco." Pansy walked out from behind Harry. "Hi, Weasley." Pansy turned towards the youngest Weasley who was currently frozen in her current position on the ground, wondering exactly how she was going to get out of this mess.

"Erm, Hello, Parkinson," Ginny said in the nicest voice she could muster up for Pansy.

"So, Weasley, now that we've passed the greeting stage, mind telling me why you're out here with Draco?" Pansy asked.

"Same reason you're out here with Harry," Ginny simply stated hoping it'd be enough to please both Pansy (not that she really cared about her) and Draco.

"You have got to be kidding me. Right, Draco? Please tell me this little Weasley's been sniffing a bit too many potions tonight and she's just delusional. " Pansy saw the look on Draco's face that clearly stated the Weasley was in her right mind. "Let me rephrase that. If you don't give me that answer you won't be walking correctly for a couple of days."

"Oh, that's rich. You're the one coming out here to snog Potter! You got some nerve saying anything to me."

"It's totally different!" Pansy exclaimed.

"How?" asked Draco.

"It just is!"

"That's your response? 'It just is'. I expected something al little deeper than that from you, Pansy."

"Well, sorry. I'm sort of focusing on how the hell Draco _Malfoy_ could be dating a Weasley."

"Dear lord, Pansy, aren't you over that yet? We've already established we're both dating Gryffindors. Now why don't you two love birds," Draco pointed to Harry and Pansy, "move along somewhere far away from Ginny and I."

"Fine, I guess, if you're happy, Ginny, I can't really say anything since I'm with Pansy, but I do hope you know what you're doing." With that Harry walked off with Pansy.

Ginny wondered if she really did know what she was doing. She had no plan on what would happen next, or what could happen next. All she knew was that she was happy, and that was enough for now.

-

Ginny later realized that happiness could not save her from her brother's wrath when he found out whom exactly Ginny was sleepless nights with. She could tell this by the way Ron went on about how Snape favored that 'disgusting little ferret' in Potions. Or how if there was a chance to bad mouth Draco he would.

Ginny knew she couldn't really blame Ron. Draco Malfoy hadn't exactly been the nicest person to Ron, or her entire family, over the school years. In fact, he had been downright horrible. Sometimes she wondered just why exactly she was dating him. There was no logical reason except that they just worked together. They kept each other sane.

All Ginny could hope for was that Ron would somehow understand that.

"That little Death Eater wannabe! I swear, sooner or later he's going to get it." Ron fumed as he walked into the Gryffindor common room.

Ginny lifted her head, which had been resting on the side of the sofa. "What happened?" Ginny had hoped Draco hadn't done something stupid that'd make it even harder for her to tell.

"Malfoy happened. I was just walking down the hall and him and Parkinson, I swear I don't know how Harry can stand her, started laughing as a I walked by them. All I was going was walking!"

"Oh." Ginny had a good idea why Draco and Pansy had been laughing. They had been thinking about how Ron would react when he found out, not only his best friend, but his little sister was dating a Slytherin. "How mean. Since when did Dra- Malfoy turn from a Death Eater do just a wannabe?"

"Since I realized there's no way in hell he could last as one of them," Ron replied.

Ginny couldn't help but admit that Ron was partially right.

It was getting closer and closer to the night of the Goodbye Ball which meant many frantic students running around cursing and screaming about how they had nothing to wear or they still couldn't find a date. Ginny, luckily, wasn't one of these students. She already had her dress and her date. Both of which she hoped people would like, or at least tolerate.

During these past few weeks that weren't spent running around in search for a dress or a date Ginny had been spending more and more time with Pansy. She had figured if Draco _and _Harry could tolerate her, why couldn't Ginny try?

At first Pansy was a bit—well, more than a bit cold to Ginny. She wasn't exactly used to being around Weasleys; more precisely, being around Weasleys and having to be nice or at least civil them. Pansy was worried about what she was turning into. First she dates The Boy Who Lived and now she's associating with Weasleys? Well, Draco was doing it too so it couldn't be _that_ bad, right? Pansy was drawing the line at calling Ginny a friend, though. She was just a person whom she talked to a lot and went dress shopping with. That was all.

-

"The world as we know it is ending," Ron commented as he looked at Pansy and Ginny enter a clothing store in Hogsmeade together.

Ron and Hermione were sitting at a nearby restaurant during one of the Hogsmeade visits. They were talking about how different it was going to be next year after they left Hogwarts before Ron noticed Ginny and Pansy.

"Ron, we should be happy people from other houses are starting to get together and become friends."

"Yeah, people, not my sister," Ron said. "You can't blame me for not wanting Parkinson near my sister."

"Pansy," Hermione said slowly, trying to get used to calling her that, "is also Harry's girlfriend, you're going to have to learn to tolerate her whether you like it or not."

"I'll try, but I'm not promising anything," Ron mumbled.

"Okay, but you have to realize the Hogwarts houses will mean nothing when we leave Hogwarts, they'll just be small characteristics of the each person. It won't define us."

"Yes, it will. Hermione, houses mean a lot more than you know."

"Fine, what house was Madam Rosmerta in?" Hermione noticed Ron's blank stare and smiled. "Professor Vector? You don't know that either. How about Hagrid?"

"Whatever. Just because I don't know their houses doesn't mean they mean nothing. The Death Eaters still come from Slytherin."

"Not all of them, there some from Ravenclaw and even a Hufflepuff or two."

"You know this for a fact?" questioned Ron.

"Ron, you know how much time I spend in the library. Don't doubt me." Hermione smiled.

"The world as we know it is still ending."

"And that, Ron, is a good thing."

In the clothing store Ginny was also thinking the same thing. The world, or more precisely, Ginny's world had changed so much since the beginning of the year. For at least, what she thought was the better. Not only had she made friends and was dating a Slytherin, but she understood things more. Ginny didn't just condemn Slytherins as Death Eaters or even just Death Eaters themselves. She knew things ran deeper than just what people saw.

After shopping, Ginny and Pansy stopped to get some ice cream. Inside they met up with Harry and Draco. They could both tell neither of the wizards were all that happy with having to sit anywhere near each other. Both of them were still having a hard time grasping the other was dating one of their friends. Pansy and Ginny laughed at how hypocritical they were.

"The ball is tomorrow, have you found out what you're wearing yet?" Ginny asked Draco.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, of course I know what I'm wearing."

Harry snorted.

"Well, have you?" Pansy asked Harry.

Harry mimicked Draco. "Of course I have, I'm Harry Potter!"

"In other words, be very afraid, Pansy," Draco said.

Harry snorted. "Have you two picked out an outfit?"

"Harry! I told you two weeks ago I found something. Learn to listen," Pansy scolded.

"Then why were you buying clothes?" asked Draco.

"You two are idiots," Pansy stated. "We wanted some summer clothes. Plus I was wondering if my dress would look better in red…"

"So you and Ginny are friends now?" asked Harry, looking at how closely the two girls acted like they enjoyed each other's company.

"Um, well," Ginny started.

"I don't know if I'd consider us friends," Pansy said, not looking like she meant it.

Ginny laughed. "It's confusing."

"Are you and Draco friends?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Ginny, are you trying to traumatize me for life? The day Potter and I become friends is the day you'll see The Dark Lord run around in a tutu," Draco explained. "I don't know about you two, but that's the last thing I'd ever want to see. Well, besides Potter running around in one. That might scar me for life."

-

It was finally the night of the ball. Ginny tried not to fuss about getting ready too much, but she did want to look good, especially since this would be one of the last nights she'd ever see Draco as a student again. After that he would be out of Hogwarts for good and she'd be a seventh year hurrying to get out of there and make her way into the world while also cherishing her last year in the magical castle where most of her memories were made.

While getting ready, Ginny mused over all her luck she had this year. She thanked herself for not being able to sleep that one night. Without that she and Draco would never have really met each other for real, instead of just Weasley and Malfoy.

In the sixth year boys' dormitory Ron and Harry were also getting ready for the ball.

"Ginny never told us who she was going with, did she?" Ron asked.

"Um, no, mate." Harry tried not to laugh while saying this. Ron was his best friend and is was sort of horrible of him to know Ron was going to be in for a shock of his lifetime, but he couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"I guess I'll find out soon enough."

Harry silently thanked himself for telling Ron before that he was dating Pansy. The last thing he needed was two heart attacks in one night.

Over in the Slytherin dormitories Pansy and Draco were sitting, well, Draco was sitting; Pansy didn't want to wrinkle her dress. They had both finished getting ready only moments before.

"This is it," Pansy said.

"Yeah." Draco got up and followed her out of the common room. Pansy was going to meet Harry with Ron and Hermione, while Draco was going with Ginny to make an entrance later.

Draco hoped he wasn't making a huge mistake. Being seen with Ginny would mean the end of him as a Death Eater, but that's not what he wanted to be anyways. He was now of age and Lucius couldn't stop him. Draco knew when he walks into in the Great Hall with Ginny it'll be the end of everything he knew and he'll finally have control over his future.

-

The ball had started and almost everyone who was going had arrived, minus the fashionably late people and Ginny and Draco. Though, Draco probably wouldn't mind being in the fashionably late category. Ginny and Draco were standing together right in front of the doors to the Great Hall. They were holding hands, both as scared as the other. They quickly kissed and were ready to walk through the doors and make history.

Ginny took a big breath and started walking forward, leading Draco through the doors. For some reason, she felt as if this was it. This was the turning point in her life. Ginny really had no idea where it (or even what it was) would go from here. The only thing Ginny did know was this wasn't the ending, this just the beginning.

**§**

_The little girl stared at the television screen, waiting for the movie to start. Her mother told her countless times that it was over, but she couldn't understand. It was only the beginning._

_** The End**_

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I really can't believe it's over.Wow, I actually finished something. Anywho, it's been so long I doubt anyone remembers but I changed A LOT of stuff in the previous chapters so if anything is confusing in this one it's because I changed things like the date of the ball (to the end of the year) and the timing of stuff. I'm really sorry for that but I like it better this way. Also **huge **thanks to everyone who reviewed this!


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